Didiza vows to urgently deal with foot-and-mouth outbreak
Agriculture Minister Thoko Didiza has told the livestock industry that government is urgently addressing the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.
The minister met with MECs and officials from Limpopo, North West, Gauteng, the Free State, and KwaZulu-Natal earlier this week.
Didiza says slaughtering and culling have been implemented in Gauteng and will now be done in North West and the Free State.
“KZN team has been meeting with the industry to undertake quick surveillance after the floods to ensure that we contain the disease in the disaster management area."
READ: Didiza: Critical to rebuild farm infrastructure in KZN
“There will be zero tolerance on the unlawful movement of cloven-hoofed livestock from infected areas or properties and I want to reiterate that traceability is a joint venture which must be driven by the industry and LITS SA for implementation.”
“Foot-and-mouth disease has a major impact on trade in livestock and livestock products but has no impact on human health, the meat from animals slaughtered at an abattoir where the necessary inspections are conducted is therefore safe to consume.”
Didiza says she will soon release the recommendations report from the Ministerial Biosecurity for Animal Health Technical Task Team by the end of April.
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