KwaZulu-Natal is spending millions in its effort to control Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in the province. MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) in KwaZulu-Natal Mr Cyril Xaba, said they are still counting the cost after spending R65 million on a red-line fence to separate the FMD prone area in the North of the province from the disease free zones. He said the reason why the fence cost so much, was because it was over a length of 108km and over areas that were inaccessible. Access roads had to be built to transport material there.
“It is a costly exercise but worth the effort to protect and grow the country’s animal farming industry,” MEC Xaba said. He welcomed an offer by National Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), Senzeni Zokwana, to assist in funding the building of additional dip tanks and stock dams on either side of the red-line fence.
MEC Zokwana and DAFF Deputy Minister General Bheki Cele were also in attendance at the Foot and Mouth Disease Imbizo in Bhambanana in the Umkhanyakude District. National, Provincial and local government came together to impress upon the local community how important it was that South Africa regain its FMD-free status.
MEC Xaba said, “We are mindful that it was the outbreak in our province in 2011 that resulted in the ban of the export of red meat and other livestock products from South Africa. This resulted in the country losing over
R4 billion a year until February 2014 when the ban was lifted. As a province, we remain committed to play our part in vigorously ensuring that the ban is not re-imposed. We too are determined to work towards preserving and growing South Africa’s animal farming industry which DAFF Director-General Professor Edith De Vries, has said is worth about R50 billion annually.”
According to MEC Xaba, an additional R70 million has been allocated to build an abattoir in the area so that cattle from the infected zones don’t have to be transported to the free zone for slaughter. This, he said, was to follow the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) recommendation to restrict the movement of cattle from infected to free zones.
Costs are being tallied for the exercise of tagging cattle with pink and yellow ear tags to identify which zone they come from. So far, 83 000 cattle on the North side of the red-line fence have been tagged and 46 000 on the South side. More contract technicians are being employed to assist with the tagging, surveillance and inspection of cattle.
In addition, there is a massive public awareness campaign currently underway to inform residents of the Umkhanyakude District about FMD and the consequences of not keeping the disease under control. MEC Xaba reiterated that the battle cannot be won without the assistance of the people that are affected.
Before the Imbizo, MEC Zokwana, General Cele and MEC Xaba accompanied by Senior National and Senior Provincial managers, visited the controversial South-Eastern border fence of the Ndumo Game Reserve. The fence, which had been constantly vandalised by the local community to gain access to fertile land to plough, resulted in cattle gaining entry to the park and mixing with infected buffalo. This has been a sensitive issue and a series of meetings have been held with the community. MEC Zokwana spoke at length about this and said that he will be engaging his counterparts in the National Department of Environmental Affairs regarding the issue.
MEC Zokwana has termed the vigorous control of FMD, “Operation Compliance”. He said this was the battle plan that the OIE which sets the norms and standards for the export of red meat and livestock, has asked the country to follow.
MEC Xaba added that these measures requested by the OIE to control the movement of cattle from FMD prone areas, was for the future of food security in South Africa, for job creation and above all, it was critical for the country’s economic growth.
The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Mr Senzeni Zokwana, Deputy Minister General Bheki Cele and KZN MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development Cyril Xaba, crossing the western boundary fence of the Indumo Game Reserve MEC Senzeni Zokwana, General Bheki Cele and MEC Cyril Xaba together with the Mayor of Umhlabayalingana Local Municipality Clrr Solomon Mkhombe at the Indumo Game Reserve MEC Senzeni Zokwana, General Bheki Cele and MEC Cyril Xaba together with Senior Managers, viewing the Indumo Game Reserve.
For more information and details, please contact:
Nalini Naidoo
Cell: 082 234 0475
Email: Nalini.dickson@kzndard.gov.za
