BY SILAS NKALA
One of the Bulawayo’s City Council’s business units, City of Kings Business Venture has written to the local authority pleading for a donation of five horses to enable its security guards to boost patrols at its Aisleby and Goodhope farms.
The local authority has a number of business units under its jurisdiction and these include the Bulawayo Municipal Commercial Undertaking and the City of Kings Business Venture.
Some of the business units that fall under the City of Kings Business Venture include Mguza and Mazwi nature parks, Mzilikazi Art, Craft and Pottery Centre and Parks Nursery and the Council Caravan Park.
Latest council minutes state that housing and community services director Dictor Khumalo reported that a request was received from the City of Kings business venture about the horses’ donation.
“Aisleby and Goodhope farm is requesting for a donation of five female horses to compliment the two that they currently have,” reads part of the minutes.
“The horses will be used by the farms’ security guards while on patrol within the farm and along the farm’s boundary.
“The farm has a huge perimeter (boundary), which is in excess of 10km and an area of 1,375 hectares.
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“Patrolling on foot is a challenge and reduces the effectiveness of policing.”
Council noted that if horses were available, patrols will be effective and thorough.
The minutes stated that the department had 17 horses at Gum Plantation as at May 2021 and these were used for patrols by rangers and for hire by the community.
“The carrying capacity at the site was only 10 horses at any given time, this means the stock we had exceeded the carrying capacity and the animals were starving. Some of the horses had been sent for better pastures at Aiselby Farm, City of Kings,” read the minutes.
“The department had no objection to the request by the City of Kings for five female horses to complement the two that they currently had.
“However, there was still a need to de-stock further since there would be excess stock even after this donation.
“ The excess stock would be kept at Aiselby farm and would be auctioned as necessary.”
Khumalo recommended that the five horses be seconded to City of Kings untill further notice subject to review as necessary and that the horses are used by the City of Kings rangers within the farm for security patrols.
He also recommended that any future de-stocking should include these horses as they were expected to multiply over the years and that the department will monitor and maintain a register of all the horses in the farm and the applicant will be required to take care of all the maintenance needs of the horses as required.
