Foul stench blankets Cape Town, traced to ship carrying cattle
Cape Town officials recently launched an investigation into a foul odor that engulfed parts of the city, only to discover that it was caused by a ship carrying 19,000 live cattle from Brazil to Iraq. Zahid Badroodien, the official responsible for water and sanitation in the mayor's office, confirmed that the "sewage smell" was due to the cattle ship. The Al Kuwait livestock vessel, measuring 190 meters in length, had docked in Cape Town to load feed for the cattle.
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Animal welfare groups have long criticized the practice of live exports, arguing that the unbearable stench was a sign of the poor conditions animals face on such vessels. Currently, regulations exist to minimize the suffering of animals and safeguard the livelihoods of shippers. Nonetheless, hundreds of animals still perish or endure distress during their transport between countries.
Democratic Alliance denounces live export practice
Meanwhile, South Africa's Democratic Alliance political party, which governs Cape Town, also denounced the transportation of live cattle. They said, "Live export exposes animals to perilous conditions such as dangerous levels of ammonia, extreme heat stress, injuries, dirt, exhaustion, and even death." Earlier this month, a ship carrying over 16,000 cattle and sheep destined for the Middle East returned to Australia after being stranded at sea for nearly a month due to attacks by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.
SPCA condemns conditions on ship
The National Council of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has sent a veterinary consultant to inspect the welfare of the animals on board. The SPCA said, "This smell is indicative of the awful conditions the animals endure, having already spent two-and-a-half weeks onboard with a buildup of feces and ammonia." Before the ship was discovered, city officials had inspected sewage facilities for leaks across Cape Town while probing the cause of the stench.
