The Nelson Mandela Bay municipality's claims of a 'fully functional pound' have been called into question, as it currently operates with limited resources, and officials resort to chasing stray animals into bushes.

The Nelson Mandela Bay metro's claims that the municipality now has a new "fully functional pound" are untrue.

What it does have is yet another "emergency deviation", four staff members, no truck and a strategy that entails chasing stray animals into the bushes.

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Also in dispute is who owns the infrastructure where the animals are kept.

On Wednesday, there was an urgent meeting at the metro's Public Health Directorate to discuss the "fully functional pound".

The Democratic Alliance's Mthokozisi Nkosi attended this meeting and has clarified a few issues. The municipality has not yet answered Daily Maverick's questions.

Not the R2m pound

First, the property where the municipality keeps stray animals is not the new pound for which R2-million was set aside in the infrastructure budget -- it is yet another instance where the metro, ignoring warnings from the Treasury and the Auditor-General, used emergency procurement procedures. The Nelson Mandela Bay Civil Society Coalition says the metro's procurement practices are a major stumbling block to good governance.

The contract for the pound states that it will run for "six to 12 months" or until the funds run out. Meanwhile, the municipality still owes the SPCA R240,000 for running the municipal...