Capetonians woke up to a moerse stink yesterday after an international ship transporting live cattle docked at the Cape Town Harbour.
Confused mense took to social media asking why the City Bowl and surrounding suburbs were smelling like ou k**.
All was revealed when news broke that the odour was emanating from a ship, where 19000 cattle were found drenched in their own poop after being at sea for over two weeks.
Shocking photographs emerged from the Al Kuwait shipping vessel, showing the helpless cattle standing knee-deep in their own faeces.
Woodstock resident Farieda Payne, 50, says they were woken up in the early hours by the awful smell.
She says: “On Sunday, we saw flies and I thought it was a drain. On Monday morning we woke up at 2am because of this naar smell of poo in the air. I was convinced something was dead in my house.
“We started getting headaches and some people even reported vomiting.
“Everyone thought there was a sewage spill somewhere. We were so shocked to learn that it was animals on a ship. It’s sickening.”
Transnet Port Manager, Rajesh Dana, says the livestock carrier docked at the Port of Cape Town on Sunday, on its way to the Middle East.
Dana explained that the vessel was due to leave last night [Monday], but said the animals were their top priority.
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA obtained an urgent court order to allow inspectors to board the ship.
The National Council of SPCA (NSPCA), along with the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, said the “death ship” was found to be transporting 19 000 cattle from Brazil to Iraq.
A team, which included NSPCA Veterinary Consultant Dr Bryce Marock, went aboard at 10pm on Sunday to assess the welfare of the animals.
The NSPCA said: “We acknowledge the concerns raised by members of the public regarding the noticeable stench emanating from the ship, reaching the city centre and surrounds.
“This smell is indicative of the awful conditions the animals endure, having already spent 2½ 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.”
When Daily Voice contacted the Al Mawashi shipping company who own the vessel, a representative, Sithembele Qomoyi, said the ship was chartered, and certified by Australian authorities.
Qomoyi explains: “Al Mawashi SA is totally unaware of the said shipment, or the cargo and is not involved in the said shipment. Vessels such as the Al Kuwait are chartered by other organisations in order to transport livestock by sea.
“The vessel complies with all the relevant requirements for the purpose of transporting livestock by sea and has recently been issued with a certified of compliance by the Australian authorities.”
He added: “Unfortunately, the NSPCA regards any vessel transporting livestock by sea as a “death ship”.
“They have repeatedly launched applications to prohibit Al Mawashi SA from exporting livestock by sea to the Middle East. These applications were all dismissed with costs.”