CAPE TOWN - The country is battling 56 outbreak cases of the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), involving farms and communal areas in the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North West and Gauteng.
So announced Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza on Monday, saying the government was working to clear the situation.
The outbreaks were caused by illegal movements of animals out of the FMD controlled zones in Limpopo, Didiza said.
Despite the fact that South Africa lost its World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)-recognised FMD free zone status in 2019, the permanent movement restrictions remained in place in the FMD protection zones.
“I call on all citizens of South Africa to stop the illegal movement of animals out of FMD-affected areas. The damages caused by continued FMD outbreaks have a severe negative impact on the economy of the country as well as the individual animal owners.
“I am pleased that a 49-year old man was arrested at Masisi in the Vhembe District of Limpopo for bringing goats from the FMD-controlled zone into the free zone and the law has taken its course.
“Another case, where animals were illegally moved from an FMD-controlled area to auctions in two provinces, is being investigated. We warn perpetrators who are illegally moving animals that they will be prosecuted for contravention of the Animal Diseases Act,” Didiza said.
In the North West, Gauteng and the Free State, laboratory testing confirmed the outbreak of FMD between Potchefstroom and Ventersdorp.
Disease investigations carried out by the North West Provincial Veterinary Services found that the FMD virus had spread to adjacent farms within a 10km radius.
FMD-positive farms were also detected in Gauteng and the Free State through trace-forward from an auction near Potchefstroom which took place in March 2022 and from direct sales from infected farms.
In KwaZulu-Natal, a further two FMD-positive dip tanks were found in the Big 5 Hlabisa Municipality and Jozini Municipality.
After the disease initially seemed to be under control in the disease management area, which was declared in September 2021, subsequent illegal movements of animals led to the disease escaping the disease management area.
“All affected farms, dip tanks and other premises in the five affected provinces were placed under quarantine and no cloven-hoofed animals are allowed to move from these locations,” Didiza said. “There has been no change in the movement restrictions on cloven-hoofed animals, their products and genetic material out of, into, within or through the disease management areas, which are still in effect in KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo.
“The margins of the two disease management areas are being considered to include the newly affected areas and other areas at high risk owing to uncontrolled mingling of animals. Culling, like all control measures, will be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the practicality, costs, advantage and disadvantage of each scenario.”
Cape Times