JP Smith under siege

JP Smith, the Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security in Cape Town, is accused of lying and misleading the public over amended pet rules in the city.

The City of Cape Town is in the process of promulgating amendments to the Animal Keeping By-law, which it said will address shortcomings in the existing by-laws.

Many stakeholders are unhappy with Cape Town’s proposed Animal Keeping By-Law, 2026, because of its requirements on pet owners.

The most controversial points relate to dog and cat owners, which, according to the existing bylaws and the amendments, would require permits for their pets.

There are also concerns about giving officials authority to search private property without a warrant.

• A person who keeps a dog that is older than six months must apply to the City for a permit in respect of every dog.

• The application must be accompanied by the prescribed permit fee as set out in the City’s tariff of charges, as well as a valid rabies inoculation certificate held in respect of the dog concerned.

• An authorised official may, for the purposes of enforcing this By-Law, conduct a search of any premises, person, vehicle, or structure without a search warrant…

Many commentators slated these bylaws as a way for the city to extract more revenue from residents and give itself additional powers at the expense of citizens.

Smith hit back, labelling much of this criticism, including that from conservative commentator Willem Petzer, as misinformation.

Petzer said that, under the Animal Keeping By-law, 2026, Cape Town residents will be forced to pay for permits for their pets, likening it to a tax.

Smith said that this was untrue. “The by-law encourages registration of pets, which is free, it does not require pet licensing,” he said.

“Permitting is only applicable when an owner wants to exceed the number of animals in relation to the property size allowed in the by law.”

JP Smith accused of lying and misleading the public

Many stakeholders, including Petzer, have accused Smith of lying and misleading the public because his comments do not align with the by-law amendments.

“The level of dishonesty by the DA today is astonishing. It’s the first time in my career I’ve come across something so ludicrous from any political party,” he said.

GOOD Secretary-General and Cape Town mayoral candidate, Brett Heron, accused Smith of lying about the Animal Keeping By-Law, 2026.

“The City of Cape Town’s draft Animal Keeping By-Law includes absurd provisions that propose giving the City the right to extract money from pet owners,” he said.

“They also give law-enforcement officers the power to trample on the rights of pet owners and the owners of small businesses.”

“In its efforts to downplay the absurdities, the city is being vague and dishonest. This includes the DA’s Alderman JP Smith.”

“He claimed the by-law does not require pet licensing, it offers free registration, and that the city cannot search premises without a warrant. Those are all lies,” he said.

Dear South Africa founder, Rob Hutchinson, also accused Smith of misleading the public when the issues were aired publicly.

“When independent analysis brought these clauses into the public square, the reaction followed the administrative playbook: denial, deflection, and personal attack,” he said.

He said this may seem strange, as Smith’s statements were easily refuted by examining the official documents. However, they often succeed.

“When confronted with public outrage, the immediate political instinct is to soothe the public through broadcast soundbites and social media dismissals,” he said.

“The politicians hope that citizens will accept the spoken PR rather than read the statutory print.”

“It is a high-stakes bet that public engagement will remain passive, allowing the law to pass in its drafted form while public anger dissipates online.”

He urged the public and independent political commentators to continue the battle, as it forces transparency from the public officials.

Newsday asked the City of Cape Town for clarity

Newsday asked the City of Cape Town for clarity on what the amendments to the Animal Keeping By-law mean for residents.

Alderman Mzwakhe Nqavashe, the chairperson of the Safety and Security Portfolio Committee in Cape Town, provided clarity.

He confirmed that residents with pets over six months old are required to register them and that it is not optional or encouraged.

“It is required, as has been pointed out several times, and pet owners must register their pets,” Nqavashe said.

“It is already a requirement in the previous Animal Keeping By-Law 2021, so this is not something new.”

“You register your pet online on the City’s website, the permit is generated, and while the bylaw prescribes a fee, none is charged.”

Nqavashe highlighted that, where there is a provision for a fee, it can be implemented legally. So, although it is free now, there can be a fee in future.

He also clarified that claims that the draft gives officials unrestricted power to enter any home and confiscate animals without a warrant are incorrect.

“Section 41 of the draft provides that an authorised official may enter premises with the consent of the owner or occupier,” he said.

“Where consent is refused, the official may apply to a magistrate for an entry warrant or a search-and-seizure warrant.”

He pointed out that the existing 2021 Animal Keeping By-Law already provides for warrantless searches in specified circumstances.

“The draft consolidates and clarifies the procedures governing these powers,” Nqavashe said.