Foot-and-mouth still rampant

OUTRAGE: FARMERS HIT AT STATE, TENDERPRENEURS FOR TRYING TO CASH IN ON CRISIS

- Marizka Coetzer

Last week, another case of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) was identified this time in the Amah-ati local municipality in the Eastern Cape.

Chief state veterinarian Dr Ayla Newmarch confirmed a case was found in a isolated lab test.

"This animal was born and is an adult in Keiskammahoek, where it was identified his month. Backward tracing has yielded little information and the owner has not introduced new animals, or been travelling himself.

"In the communal setting, the animals all graze together and thus the source could be from another person or animal not yet identified. There is a team of animal health technicians sampling any new suspect cases," she said.

Last month, Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen said KwaZulu-Natal was the epicentre of FMD and added that by February, his department aimed to take delivery of two million doses of FMD vaccines in two separate consignments.

Beefmaster Group CEO Gert Blignaut has welcomed the government's commitment to prioritising the fight against FMD, but said that time was of the essence.