Hankey
By Joseph Chirume.
Residents of Vuyo Katoo Street in Hankey are up in arms with their local Ward Councillor after she allegedly allowed a livestock farmer to turn his unoccupied yard into a cattle kraal. They say they have been forced to live with their doors and windows closed to ward off a pungent smell emitted from the kraal.
What is more concerning to the residents is that the cattle pen is located right next to the offices of their ward councillor, Cynthia August. The Messenger visited the area on 21 November 2025 and had a first hand experience of the situation. There was an odor of rotting organic materials that filled the air. The unpleasant smell drew swarms of flies and other insects to the kraal and also to nearby houses.
“This is the situation that has been happening since 2023 when the cattle were brought here. The area is filthy and becomes worse when it is raining because the dung gets washed away and flows into the streets affecting our yards. Most children in this area can no longer go out to play because parents fear that they may contract diseases. The owner of the livestock is hostile towards whoever asks him about his livestock polluting the area,” said a resident who requested not to be named.
Another concerned resident echoed what had been said and went on to accuse Cllr Cynthia August of not intervening to alleviate their suffering.
“Our councillor keeps telling us that she is arranging a suitable place to move the cattle. She says the owner is unwell and should not be harassed. We are also alarmed as to why she allowed a herd of cattle to be kept next to her offices and in a busy street?”
Approached for comment Cllr August refuted the allegations that some residents had ever approached her regarding the issue. She said the yard where the cattle are kept belongs to Namse Speelman, who also owns the cattle. She said Speelman was evicted from a plot where he used to keep the livestock after the land was donated by the owners to the Kouga Local Municipality.
Said August , “Mr Speelman is not feeling well and is amputated in one of his limbs. The eviction process even worsened his condition. I am rather taken aback at the fact that residents claim to have come to me. Nobody has ever approached me on such an issue, as everyone knows the predicament the owner of both the Kraal and the cattle, Mr. Namse Speelman, finds himself in. The latter also being the reason I have also been unable to have the cattle forcefully removed. The situation is that Mr. Speelman had been utilizing a portion of land that was not his property, Erf 17, if I’m not mistaken.
“However, following the owners of the property donating this pocket of land to the Kouga Municipality for purposes of erecting RDP houses, (part of the upcoming 990 Housing Project which is underway, commencing in January, 2026), Mr Speelman had had to remove his livestock from there.”
Cllr August said she has been working with the Kouga Municipality to allocate new, alternative land to Speelman, as well as to other emerging livestock farmers.
“I am able to assure you that we have identified pockets of land for these purposes, taking into cognisance also the facts relating to the availability and provision of fresh water. Officials from The Kouga Municipality have assured me that Mr. Speelman’s cattle will be moved to the new pocket of land very soon…. without any further delay,” said Cllr August.
Timna-Mia Speelman, the grandson of Speelman said he is responsible for the welfare of the livestock following the poor health and advancing age of his grandfather.
Timna-Mia said there are currently 29 cows and were expecting another cow from a trader. He added that the cows were the main source of their income. He said what worsened the plight of his family was that they had more than 30 pigs before the eviction but all died after they were moved to Thornhill.
“We did not have enough space in Hankey to raise the pigs so we relocated them to Thornhill. Unfortunately, due to a lack of proper care they all died. We could not manage to go there daily due to high transport costs so they perished,” saying that he also has few cows among the herd.
He refuted allegations that he does not often clean the kraal. He said there are farmers who regularly come to clean it when they are collecting cow dung to use as organic fertilisers on their plantations.
The Kouga Municipality spokesperson, Monique Basson said the Municipality is working on a plan to remove the cattle from the area.
Basson said, “While we are not aware of a formal complaint, our Law Enforcement and Environmental Health teams have been dispatched to investigate the matter. In line with our standard procedures, the officials will assess compliance with all relevant municipal by-laws and environmental standards.
“We are currently gathering all necessary information, including any previous reports and engagements related to this site. Once the inspection is completed and the appropriate interventions are determined, we will be able to give a comprehensive update.
“The Municipality remains committed to ensuring that all residents live in a safe, healthy environment, and any non-compliance identified will be addressed in accordance with the law.”
