Update on the amended Control Measures regarding the status of Oriental fruit fly in South Africa
The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) wishes to inform any user of land and/or land owner including any individual, municipal authorities, traditional authorities, community members, farmers, fruit and vegetables industries, universities and all affected role players in the Republic of South Africa, about the amended Control Measures R.110 of 27 January 1984 as amended by R.1271 of 17 November 2017 in the Government Gazette No. 41257. The purpose of the amendment is to strengthen the regulatory framework to prevent and combat the spread of the Oriental fruit fly within the country.
In terms of the amendments stipulated in the R.1271 of 17 November 2017, Government Gazette No. 41257, the status of the Oriental fruit fly in South Africa is as follows: The ‘areas that are infested’ include: Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Gauteng and some parts of KwaZulu-Natal. A removal permit will be required to move fruit from these areas to the Oriental fruit fly free areas. The ‘areas that are not infested’ include the Western Cape, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State and some parts of KwaZulu-Natal such as the Magisterial Districts of Amajuba, uMgungundlovu, uMzinyathi, uThukela and Zululand. However, it should be noted that should the pest be detected in a farm within the pest free areas, such a farm will be quarantined in terms of an official order and a removal permit will be required to move host material to a pest free area.
In terms of the Control Measures R.110 of 27 January 1984, Government Gazette 41257, no person in South Africa is allowed to move any Oriental fruit fly infested fruit or material from an infested area to a non-infested area without authorisation by means of a removal permit; any unauthorised movement may lead to the spread of the Oriental fruit fly. Any transgression of these measures would be considered an offence and violators shall be subjected to penalties. It is worth noting that the removal permit will be issued only if the relevant applicant/land user complied with the stipulated good agricultural practices as per the issued official order and the fruit or material has been found to be free of infestation, following an on-farm/ on-site inspection.
Anyone intending to move Oriental fruit fly host fruit/material from an infested area to a non-infested area should seek guidance from DAFF’s Inspection Services staff responsible for the following: issuing of an official order with a prescribed list of on-farm good agricultural practices, rendering the on-farm/ on-site inspections and the issuing of removal permits. The relevant officials can be reached at telephone numbers 012 309 8735/ 8791/ 8763, or alternatively send an e-mail to RemovalPermits@daff.gov.za.
For media enquires contact:
Steve Galane
Director: Communication Services
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Cell: 083 635 7346
E-mail: SteveGAL@daff.gov.za
For technical enquiries contact:
Mr Maanda Rambauli
Manager: Policies, Norms and Standards (Directorate Plant Health)
Tel: 012 319 6164
E-mail: MaandaR@daff.gov.za
