NSPCA probes foul smell from cattle ship in Cape Town Harbour

The City of Cape Town confirmed that the unpleasant odour permeating the air is attributed to the arrival of the cattle ship, Al Kuwait, on Sunday evening.

The city’s MMC for Water and Sanitation, Zahid Badroodien, said the smell predominantly affected areas including Woodstock, Observatory, Greenpoint, and the CBD.

The ship is scheduled to depart on Monday evening.

Additionally, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA obtained a court order to conduct an inspection on the vessel, which is currently underway.

Thousands of Cape Town residents have taken to social media to complain about the smell.

“The National Council of the SPCA has reiterated its firm stance against the live export of animals by sea. We have been in and out of the High Court on numerous occasions since 2019. The NSPCA and the Cape of Good Hope SPCA are actively engaged on the Al Kuwait; a live export vessel currently docked at the Cape Town Harbour. The ship is in the process of loading feed and is carrying 19,000 cattle bound for Iraq from Brazil,” said NSPCA spokesperson Jacques Peacock.

“The team, including NSPCA consultants, has been aboard the vessel since 10 pm on Sunday to assess the welfare of the animals. We acknowledge the concerns raised by members of the public regarding the noticeable stench emanating from the ship, reaching the city centre and surroundings.

“This smell is indicative of the awful conditions that the animals endure, having already spent two-and-a-half weeks on board with a build-up of faeces and ammonia. The stench on board is unimaginable, yet the animals face this every single day,” added Peacock.