Impound the road runner cattle

JUST by the grace of God I wasn’t killed or badly injured when recently, en route between eShowe and Melmoth, I encountered a whole herd of cattle on the road as I came around a blind corner.

Fortunately I was only doing 80km/h and the driver in the uThungulu Municipality’s double-cab behind me was keeping a safe distance (thank you, sir). I had to brake so hard that everything on the seat next to me ended up on the floor. My vehicle actually nudged one cow.

It is high time that authorities clamped down on people who allow their livestock to roam free on the road. By law all cattle have to be branded with the owners’ special mark. Therefore it shouldn’t be that difficult for special patrols to be carried out and owners fined for letting their cattle roam onto the roads.

Unmarked livestock should be impounded. If anybody then came forward to claim these animals they should have to pay pound fees and a fine.

Unclaimed animals could be sold off to help pay for these patrols.

This is a plea to those in authority to please make our roads safer.

MARLENE PALTHE