POLOKWANE – Mr Dries Joubert, chairperson of TAU-SA Northern region, said that it is of vital importance that the Bovine Diseases scheme be fully activated in the Limpopo Province.

Mr Joubert said that certain highly infectious diseases are posing a threat to the animal and human population in Limpopo. In order to combat the spreading and in an attempt to eradicate these diseases, various schemes were introduced during 1988. It seems, however, that these schemes are no longer implemented effectively. There seems to be an increase in the prevalence of Foot-and-Mouth, Bovine Tuberculosis and Bovine Brucellosis in South Africa.

The TAU-SA Northern Region received information that certain preventable animal diseases like Foot-and-Mouth disease, Anthrax and Black Quarter are out of control in Zimbabwe and that the opening of the Transfrontier Park poses a real danger of infection to humans and animals in South Africa. Mr Joubert said that, in order to understand the importance of these schemes, it is necessary to know how many cattle might be at risk. The total number of cattle in the controlled and non-controlled areas of both commercial and communal farmers added up to about 1 182 267 cattle in the region. This figure was released during December 2004 and does not include other animals such as sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, pigs or wild animals that are also at risk from the diseases.

Mr Joubert said that each of these diseases has a distinctive infection pattern and symptoms and that all of the above are transferable between animals and humans. The biggest risk at present is an outbreak of any of the diseases in commercial and communal areas, which will affect export potential and the economic survival of those affected farmers. There are indications that the prevalence of Bovine Brucellose is on the increase after a decrease in the 1960s. The disease is transferable to humans. Anthrax is deadly for animals and humans alike and the meat and milk of infected animals can be deadly when consumed, but the biggest concern is that the spores of Anthrax are able to stay in the ground for years and it is therefore imperative to control the disease.

Bovine tuberculosis, like human tuberculosis, is highly infectious. State veterinary services are required to provide certificates indicating the disease status of animals. At present, certificates are issued without scientific proof that these areas are indeed disease free, which opens the Department of Agriculture to legal challenges in court. Mr Joubert said that animals of both communal and commercial farmers, regardless of the race of the farmer, can be infected by these diseases. He also warned that these infections are transferable to humans - again regardless of race. He said black and white people are at risk and it is therefore urgent that all animals be included in the government-subsidized schemes.

Mr Joubert thanked the MEC for Agriculture, Mrs Dekeledi Magadzi, for the effort of her department to correct the problems with the fences between national parks and conservation and farming areas. He said this problem seems to be the direct cause of the last foot-and-mouth outbreak in the eastern side of the province. He asked her to increase the pressure on the relevant departments to do more to make sure that fences are in good order at all times. TAU-SA Northern region proposes that the above schemes be revived as a matter of urgency and that commercial farmers be included in the free vaccination program currently in place for communal farmers. He asked that the MEC make sure that the schemes are implemented effectively as this is not the case at present.