Question NW1752 to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development

Weber, Ms AMM to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development

With reference to municipalities being required to have a pound, as stated in the Municipal Pound By-Law, 2019 which commenced on 21 October 2019, and because municipalities do not pay the monthly payments to the pound or branches of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), leading to many pounds and/or branches of the SPCA having to close their doors, by what date is it anticipated that the City of Mbombela will settle the debt of R3 112 465 that is owed to the SPCA in Umjindi for the financial year of 2019-20; (2) whether, with reference to the property of the SPCA in Umjindi, Mpumalanga, being irreparably damaged in a storm recently leading to the property being vacated after which the SPCA applied and paid for the application of new land, but no response from the City of Mbombela, she will intervene to ensure that the (a) specified municipality will have a pound and/or branch of the SPCA in Umjindi and (b) money that is owed is paid; if not, why not, in each case; if so, what are the relevant details in each case; (3) which municipalities will be closing the pounds and/or branches of the SPCA in this financial year?