They say the metro has failed in its responsibilities to ensure that the animals were kept safe and well cared for.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) and Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) accused the metro of being complicit to the alleged animal cruelty at the zoo. The DA councillor, Johan Pretorius, says many kids in the city have now lost an opportunity to witness the world’s most-adored Big Five.

Meanwhile, another DA member Maryke Davies, also blasted the metro, accusing it of negligence following the death of at least five dogs. She says the dogs had to be put out following the ailing state they were in.

On Friday 6 March 2020, the Department of Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (Destea) slapped the metro with papers of non-compliance. And the remaining animals were taken somewhere else from the controversial zoo.

This follows after angry and frustrated residents vigorously voiced their dissatisfaction about the plight of animals at the zoo.

In 2019, Destea said after the inspection by the Department and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) on 10 December 2019 at the Bloemfontein Zoo, the metro was found to have violated the National Environmental Biodiversity Act, 10 of 2004, and Free State Nature Conservation Ordinance 8 of 1969, amongst others.

"The department issued the Mangaung Metro with a non-compliance notice followed by the temporary closure of the Zoo on the 17th December 2019. The Metro was found to have contravened these acts and regulations by keeping protected species like reptiles, bird’s, predators and ordinary game, among others," the department added.

The department further said the relevant permits to keep these species were found to have expired and were not renewed at the time of the inspection.

Leatile Leiee reports the leader of the official opposition party in the Free State, Roy Jankielsohn, earlier today requested Destea in the Free State to come clean on their involvement at the Bloemfontein Zoo.

The DA says it sent questions to the Destea MEC, Mr Makalo Mohale, to find out where the animals have been moved to.

The Bloemfontein Zoo was meant to have been moved to a municipal farm, Kwaggafontein, outside of Bloemfontein in terms of a Mangaung Council decision made in 2013.

‘’The DA will monitor any commercial transactions and developments at the property on which the Zoo is housed since it is also valuable heritage site for Bloemfontein,’’ added Jankielsohn.

OFM News/Lucky Nkuyane and Leatile Leiee