Auction resulted in spread of foot-and-mouth disease to other provinces: Minister

South Africa is currently battling 56 cases of foot-and-mouth disease. These cases were reported in farms and communal areas in the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North West and Gauteng.

According to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development Thoko Didiza, an auction resulted in the spread of foot-and-mouth disease to other provinces.

The outbreaks were caused by the illegal movements of animals out of controlled zones in Limpopo.

Didiza explains, “How it has gone to areas such as Free State and Gauteng is because you had an auction. So the preventative measures that have been taken, Gauteng is going to cull those animals to make sure there is no further spread.”

“North West is taking the same approach because we want to make sure that those areas where we have dealt with foot and mouth a long time before, we don’t [want to] re-introduce the disease,” adds the Minister.

Farmers in the Vhembe and Mopani areas are worried about foot-and-mouth disease outbreak: 

VIDEO: Foot and mouth disease outbreak in Free State: Dr Kristan Mojapelo