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Cattle eating hay at a farm.
Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen says efforts to contain and combat foot and mouth disease is being hindered by people illegally transporting cattle.
Steenhuisen visited Rysmierbult outside Ventersdorp in the North West on Thursday to oversee a Cattle Vaccination Campaign aimed at combating the spread of the disease.
The communal area houses about 300 cattle that will be vaccinated.
The North West, which has 26 cases of the disease, is one of four provinces that have registered foot and mouth outbreaks.
Steenhuisen says those transporting animals are making the fight harder for the department.
“I’m still very concerned that they are still people moving animals illegally around the country out of foot and mouth disease areas, into other areas and that’s making the fight against this a lot harder. We have speculators, there are auction houses, they are transport companies, they are farmers, it’s speculators that are involved in moving animals around or not doing the due diligence on animals and we need to make absolutely sure that the law is being adhered to.”
Minister Steenhuisen to oversee cattle vaccination drive in Rysmierbult, North West
