Answer grounded in published legislation
Your question
if i own a farm can someone let their cattle graze my road grass
If it is an unproclaimed road crossing your farm, nobody may trek or remain there with cattle without your written consent. So they cannot lawfully use the road grass for grazing unless you consent in writing. 1
For a proclaimed road/public grazing area, the Ordinance contemplates stock using the designated public grazing area, subject to permit requirements in some cases. Stock there without a required permit is deemed to be trespassing. 26
Verified sources
Where this answer comes from
Roads Ordinance 17 of 1972~
graze any animal, whether i nspanned to a vehicle or not, across or on such farm, outside the public grazing area. (2) (a) No person except a licensed butcher or speculator i n stock, or the owner, lessee or occupier of a farm i n the Territory, or an authorised representative or employee of such butcher, speculator i n stock, owner, lessee or occupier may trek or stay on any public grazing area with stock, unless he i s the holder of a permit issued by a magistrate or, i n the case of Natives, by a magistrate, Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner or superintendent of a Native reserve authorising him thereto. [paragraph (a) amended by AG 3 of 1979 to substitute certain terms] (b) Such permit...
Roads Ordinance 17 of 1972
graze any animal, whether inspanned to a vehicle or not, across or on such farm, outside the public grazing area. (2) (a) No person except a licensed butcher or speculator in stock, or the owner, lessee or occupier of a farm in the Territory, or an authorised representative or employee of such butcher, speculator in stock, owner, lessee or occupier may trek or stay on any public grazing area with stock, unless he is the holder of a permit issued by a magistrate or, in the case of Natives, by a magistrate, Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner or superintendent of a Native reserve authorising him thereto. [paragraph (a) amended by AG 3 of 1979 to substitute certain terms] (b) Such permit shall...
Roads Ordinance 17 of 1972
within the public grazing area along such road. (2) (a) If such public grazing area does not have adequate water supplies available the Executive Committee may take any reasonable steps to supply water thereon and until such time as this happens, a traveller may, after having previously handed a written notice of his intention to do so to the owner, lessee or occupier of the farm concerned or after having left it in a conspicuous place on the farm it he could not trace such owner, lessee or occupier, water his stock at the water nearest to such public grazing area, provided sufficient water is left for the normal requirements of such owner, lessee or occupier. (b) Any traveller who waters hi...
Roads Ordinance 17 of 1972~
within the public grazing area along such road. (2) (a) If such public grazing area does not have adequate water supplies available the Executive Committee may take any reasonable steps to supply water thereon and until such time as this happens, a traveller may, after having previously handed a written notice of his intention to do so to the owner, lessee or occupier of the farm concerned or after having left i t in a conspicuous place on the farm it he could not trace such owner, lessee or occupier, water his stock at the water nearest to such public grazing area, provided sufficient water i s left for the normal requirements o f such owner, lessee or occupier. (b) Any traveller who waters...
Roads Ordinance 17 of 1972~
all stock being on any proclai med road or on any public grazing area on such farm, shall be subject to the provisions of the Trespass of Animals Ordinance, 1939 (Ordinance 16 of 1939). (2) For the purposes of this section all stock being i n the possessi on of any person who is required in terms of section 51(2) to hold a permit, but who does not hold such permit, on such proclaimed road or public grazing area, shall be deemed to trespass on such proclaimed road or public grazing area, and all stock, being in the possession of any person who, contrary to the provisions of section 52, covers a distance of less than fifteen kilometres per twenty-four hours along such proclaimed road or across...
Roads Ordinance 17 of 1972
all stock being on any proclaimed road or on any public grazing area on such farm, shall be subject to the provisions of the Trespass of Animals Ordinance, 1939 (Ordinance 16 of 1939). (2) For the purposes of this section all stock being in the possession of any person who is required in terms of section 51(2) to hold a permit, but who does not hold such permit, on such proclaimed road or public grazing area, shall be deemed to trespass on such proclaimed road or public grazing area, and all stock, being in the possession of any person who, contrary to the provisions of section 52, covers a distance of less than fifteen kilometres per twenty-four hours along such proclaimed road or across su...
so this is a dirt road that was not bought out from me. But it is public as there is road signs and the roads authority does grade the road. can i ride a unroadworthy car on it?
The supplied sources do not state whether an unroadworthy car may be driven on a public dirt road, nor do they provide vehicle-roadworthiness rules or an exception for farm roads. The road’s public status, signage and Roads Authority grading do not answer that question on these sources. 35
Verified sources
Where this answer comes from
Roads Ordinance 17 of 1972~
graze any animal, whether i nspanned to a vehicle or not, across or on such farm, outside the public grazing area. (2) (a) No person except a licensed butcher or speculator i n stock, or the owner, lessee or occupier of a farm i n the Territory, or an authorised representative or employee of such butcher, speculator i n stock, owner, lessee or occupier may trek or stay on any public grazing area with stock, unless he i s the holder of a permit issued by a magistrate or, i n the case of Natives, by a magistrate, Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner or superintendent of a Native reserve authorising him thereto. [paragraph (a) amended by AG 3 of 1979 to substitute certain terms] (b) Such permit...
Roads Ordinance 17 of 1972
graze any animal, whether inspanned to a vehicle or not, across or on such farm, outside the public grazing area. (2) (a) No person except a licensed butcher or speculator in stock, or the owner, lessee or occupier of a farm in the Territory, or an authorised representative or employee of such butcher, speculator in stock, owner, lessee or occupier may trek or stay on any public grazing area with stock, unless he is the holder of a permit issued by a magistrate or, in the case of Natives, by a magistrate, Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner or superintendent of a Native reserve authorising him thereto. [paragraph (a) amended by AG 3 of 1979 to substitute certain terms] (b) Such permit shall...
Roads Act 4 of 2025
(a) a person has, subject to section 2, access to that road; (b) a person may, subject to section 41, trek livestock within the road reserve of that farm road; (c) a person may not close or deviate from that farm road without the permission of the Roads Authority as contemplated in section 16; and (d) the owner, lessee or occupier of a commercial farm or any person who has an interest in that road may maintain that road and contribute on a 50/50 part as contemplated in section 30(7) to the maintenance of such road. (2) If that person treks livestock as contemplated in subsection (1)(b) and while doing so causes any damage to that road or the farm adjacent to the road reserve, he or she must...
Roads Ordinance 17 of 1972
within the public grazing area along such road. (2) (a) If such public grazing area does not have adequate water supplies available the Executive Committee may take any reasonable steps to supply water thereon and until such time as this happens, a traveller may, after having previously handed a written notice of his intention to do so to the owner, lessee or occupier of the farm concerned or after having left it in a conspicuous place on the farm it he could not trace such owner, lessee or occupier, water his stock at the water nearest to such public grazing area, provided sufficient water is left for the normal requirements of such owner, lessee or occupier. (b) Any traveller who waters hi...
Roads Act 4 of 2025
(a) in the case of a farm road, damage the road reserve or any commercial farm or communal land adjacent to that road or a property of the owner, lessee or occupier of that commercial farm or communal land; (b) in the case of a farm road or a minor road, disturb, harm or damage any domesticated animals or property of the owner, lessee or occupier of that commercial farm or communal land; (c) obstruct or deviate a farm road without the authorisation of the Roads Authority; or (d) obstruct or deviate a minor road without obtaining the authorisation of the relevant roads board. (2) A person may in the prescribed form and manner apply to the Roads Authority for an authorisation contemplated in s...
Roads Ordinance 17 of 1972~
within the public grazing area along such road. (2) (a) If such public grazing area does not have adequate water supplies available the Executive Committee may take any reasonable steps to supply water thereon and until such time as this happens, a traveller may, after having previously handed a written notice of his intention to do so to the owner, lessee or occupier of the farm concerned or after having left i t in a conspicuous place on the farm it he could not trace such owner, lessee or occupier, water his stock at the water nearest to such public grazing area, provided sufficient water i s left for the normal requirements o f such owner, lessee or occupier. (b) Any traveller who waters...