LIMPOPO – According to Giyani Mayor Basani Shibambu, who spoke on behalf of the MEC, Nandi Ndalane, the initiative aimed to quell the crossing over of animals from redline areas to disease-free areas.
“We aim to assist communal farmers in as far as marketing is concerned, because once we have an outbreak, the farmers suffer the consequences since they cannot export their product or even sell to the local market due to fears of the disease,” she said.
“With the five-kilometre fence that we have repaired today, we hope to keep away animals such as buffalo and other wild animals with potential risk of carrying foot-and-mouth disease to safe areas,” she added.
Meanwhile Dr Lukas Mampane, the Director for Veterinary Services in the province said foot-and-mouth disease hit farmers hard.
“In the last outbreak we had in August last year and January this year in the Free State area and Limpopo, farmers suffered the most because they could not export their meat,” he explained, saying it was important that the disease be contained to prevent infection to community livestock.
“The worst part is that even if the farmers sold their animals locally, the price goes down if their animals are from areas that are deemed to have foot-and-mouth disease,” he added. Edward Mashimbye, a resident who has livestock in the area, welcomed the initiative saying the area was notorious for wild animals that break out from the nearby Kruger National Park fence into the community area.
“Last year a buffalo was sighted in this area. Although it was eventually killed, our livestock is not safe because buffalo are known to be the main transporters of foot-and-mouth disease,” he said thanking the department for closing up loopholes in the redline areas.
