Officials in the ports sector have complained about a foul smell that has invaded the tourist city of Cape Town, South Africa, coinciding with the arrival of a ship laden with thousands of livestock emitting a repulsive odor. The ship is expected to continue its journey to Iraq later today, Tuesday. The vessel, which departed from Brazil carrying approximately 19,000 head of cattle, docked in Cape Town on Sunday, causing a foul smell in the city center. A witness from Reuters stated that some residents thought there had been a sewage leak in a nearby drain or that the odor was due to sewage issues in local homes. However, a local council member confirmed on Monday that the smell indeed emanated from the vessel known as "Kuwait," which was boarded by inspectors from the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals upon its arrival on Sunday evening.
Transnet, the port operator, stated in a release on Tuesday, "According to the latest report from the ship's agent and terminal operator, the vessel is scheduled to depart on February 20, 2024." They added that the ship docked for animal feed, resupply, and medical examinations of the cattle. The National Council has dubbed the ship "the Kuwaiti death ship," attributing the odor to the horrific conditions the livestock have endured after spending two and a half weeks at sea, with excrement and ammonia gas accumulating. Grace Le Grange, a chief inspector who boarded the ship, told Reuters, "The manure that the cattle were standing in actually reaches up to their hooves in some pens." She added, "Generally, the cattle were not in poor physical condition in terms of weight, but what concerns us is what happens when they return to the ocean."
