Transnet's move on stray cats upsets animal lovers

Cat lovers are upset by Transnet’s plan to “get rid of” stray cats at their engineering workshops in the country.

Transnet sent a directive on February 13 to “enforce the prohibition of stray animals” on premises‚ saying they are a hazard and a nuisance.

Employees were instructed not to feed and nurture animals on Transnet property and were warned that failing to comply would result in “employee relations interventions”.

But Cats of Durban‚ which has previously assisted Transnet by sterilising cats‚ wants Transnet to retract the directive.

The organisation’s founder Niki Moore said Cats of Durban and other interested parties would ''picket'' outside Transnet if the directive remained in force.

“Some businesses had to repeatedly fumigate the workshops due to flea infestation from these animals being housed in the workshop area‚” said the directive from Mirriam Tenyane‚ divisional executive of compliance and regulatory affairs.

Moore said the NGO had sterilised the cats in September last year and spent R12 500 of their donor funds to do so.

When she asked the parastatal for a refund‚ “I was told: 'We are not going to pay you. Instead‚ there is now a directive to get rid of the cats'.''

Moore said sterilising the animals was a better solution than euthanising them because other cats would simply take their place.

Head of communications for Transnet engineering Zodwa Mashishi says the directive is merely aimed to stop employees from feeding and nurturing the cats at their operational facilities.

"Over the years‚ we have seen an increase in the number of stray animals entering our premises‚ including workshops where there is heavy duty machinery." She says the presence of the cats in a high risk environment poses a health and safety risk for the employees and the animals.

"There have been instances where the animals have been run over or entered inside equipment and machines‚ posing a risk to themselves‚ operators and the machinery". Zodwa advised employees to direct the animals to animal protection organisations such as the SPCA. "We fully acknowledge concerns raised by communities. We are open to engaging with relevant parties with a view to finding a solution that accommodates both human beings and animals within the conditions in which we operate‚" she said.