Steenhuisen warns legal challenges could derail FMD vaccination rollout
Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen has expressed concern at the legal letter received from Saai, Sakeliga and the Free State Agriculture, demanding that owners of livestock be allowed to privately administer vaccines.
This is amid the country's worst foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.
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The department’s Joylene van Wyk has described the legal challenge as unfortunate.
She says it seeks to attack the Animal Diseases Act under which the government is about to procure vaccines and roll out the FMD plan.
“This plan was formulated by the ministerial task team made up of private and public sector scientists, veterinarians, and academics. The rollout of this plan, along with clear, immediate medium and long-term timeframes, was announced by Mr Steenhuisen a fortnight ago.”
Agriculture organisation TLU SA says that at the heart of the country’s foot-and-mouth disease outbreak lies a regulatory system and state capacity that are not adapted to these circumstances.
The government is currently facing legal challenges on its handling of the outbreak.
TLU SA’s Bennie van Zyl says this outbreak is becoming a serious threat to South Africa’s food security, agricultural economy and rural livelihoods:
“TLU South Africa calls on its members to give the new FMD Coordinating Council a fair opportunity to meaningfully review the regulatory environment and to develop practical solutions that allow for the responsible, targeted involvement of the private sector in managing outbreaks.
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