Durban - The announcement by eThekwini Municipality that written permission from the municipality has to be obtained when animal slaughtering takes place has been welcomed by religious and cultural bodies.
Moulana Syed Aftab Haider, from Ahlul Bait Foundation of SA, said the organisation did not have a problem with the written permission that needed to be obtained for the slaughter of animals as announced by the municipality.
“We have Eid-al-Adha coming up in July and the significance is that a sheep, goat or a cow must be slaughtered. However, I don’t see a problem with applying for written permission for the slaughter of animals; at the end it is about hygiene and cleanliness and for the safety of our members. We have to understand that certain areas and places have their rules for getting permission to slaughter animals, even in Mecca you can’t just do as you please, you have to get permission at certain places before you slaughter animals. I would have a problem if we were being told that we can’t slaughter animals at all. That would be a problem,” he said.
Dr Velaphi Mkhize, president of the Umsamo Institute, which deals with African spirituality, said the need for written permission was understandable for animal slaughter, but said there should be more engagement with people as clarity was needed.
“Animal slaughter forms part of our religion and part of our culture. When a child is born, a cow has to be slaughtered after one year to appease the ancestors and to show that child has been accepted. Also when a man marries a woman, a cow has to be slaughtered, that is how we do things.
“We understand if you live in an urban area that you need permission from the relevant authorities before you can slaughter animals as the slaughter of animals has to be done in a humane way and also your neighbours need to be informed,” said Mkhize.
He added that a problem would arise in the event where the municipality tells residents that they can’t slaughter animals.
“We need to have more clarity on that as this will be destroying our African culture if the municipality can tell us that we can’t slaughter animals at a certain place or certain time.
“In the rural area when someone wants to slaughter an animal all you have to do is to inform the induna, not to get permission but just so that induna is made aware. We also need to know before the municipality made this announcement did they consult izinduna, councillors and residents?”
The announcement by the city was met with fierce criticism by some social media users, who said the municipality should rather focus on pressing service delivery concerns.
Municipal spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said the municipality recognised and respected communities’ traditional, cultural and religious beliefs and did not prohibit activities aligned to beliefs such as slaughtering animals.
“However, the municipality is required to give effect to national legislation and regulations to ensure the humane slaughter of animals, to safeguard public health and the health of those who consume the meat, to prevent health-related issues and to ensure that such practices are done in the interests of harmony and respect for other people’s rights within communities.”
Mayisela added that the Red Meat Regulations, 2004, Section 128(2)(a) which refers to religious purposes of the Muslim faith, and 129(1)(a) which refers to indigenous religious or cultural purpose, states that a person must “obtain written permission from the local authority of the area where such a slaughtering will take place”.
“The applicable public health by-law regulates issues relating to the keeping of animals, place of slaughter, permit for the keeping of animals, management of animal waste, fly breeding, and any other public health issues that may occur. The Health Unit would like to reiterate that it does not charge for any activities relating to the issuing of this permit.”