REPORTER
THE KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa has issued a stern warning to individuals involved in the illicit movement of animals amidst the severe outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the province.
She briefed media at the Allerton Provincial Veterinary Laboratory in Pietermaritzburg’s Cascade area where she oversaw vaccines earmarked for mass vaccination in the Ugu district.
“We urge the public who continue to engage in cattle movement to stop doing that. This instruction applies to even those that use cattle for ilobolo. As an alternative, online platforms may be used for dowry exchanges. We also request traditional leaders to advise their subjects against illegal movement of animals in their communal lands,” she said.
Regarding the vaccines, kaMadlopha-Mthethwa, pointed out that the veterinary services selected Ugu and Harry Gwala districts for the BioGenesis Bago vaccines because these districts have not reported any cases of SAT 3 FMD virus, as the vaccine targets and neutralises SAT 1 and SAT 2 viruses found in the cattle population in these districts.
Dr. Kolisa Amanda Nokoyo, deputy director of Veterinary Diagnostics Services in KwaZulu-Natal, expressed that the facility used for vaccine storage, Allerton Laboratory, will soon be upgraded to enable testing of all blood samples including that of suspicious foot and mouth disease cases, saying that once fully upgraded, it will address the backlog of FMD results.
