Proposed legislation would allow the Department of Veterinary Services to permanently confiscate livestock that stray into areas restricted under Foot and Mouth Disease control measures.
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
Livestock owners could permanently lose their animals under proposed legislation giving the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) sweeping new powers to confiscate livestock found straying into areas restricted under Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) control measures.
The proposed law is part of government’s efforts to tighten enforcement of livestock movement restrictions as it battles to contain the spread of FMD.
NO RETURN
Addressing residents from Bokaa, Pilane and Morwa villages in Kgatleng this week, DVS Director Dr Kobedi Segale said the proposed legislation would allow authorities to confiscate cattle found roaming in restricted areas or along prohibited routes.
He said the confiscated animals would not be returned to their owners, warning farmers that they would face serious consequences for failing to keep their livestock within designated areas.
FMD RISK
Segale said uncontrolled movement of livestock between disease-control zones posed a serious threat to efforts to contain FMD.
Animals crossing containment boundaries can potentially carry the virus from one zone to another, undermining disease-control measures and increasing the risk of further outbreaks.
He said tighter restrictions on livestock movement were therefore necessary to prevent breaches of established FMD control measures.
FARMERS WARNED
“The proposed law is also intended to force farmers to take greater responsibility for their livestock and prevent cattle from straying into restricted areas,” he said.
He has previously warned farmers to ensure that their cattle do not cross containment fences, stressing that government cannot win the fight against FMD without cooperation from livestock owners.
TOUGHER POWERS
The DVS director said the proposed confiscation powers would add a more punitive enforcement mechanism to existing livestock movement controls.
“Government has relied on measures including movement restrictions, vaccination and intensified surveillance to control FMD outbreaks,” he said.
The DVS has repeatedly warned that stray and unshepherded livestock can move into high-risk areas, increasing the possibility of disease transmission.
PERMANENT LOSS
The proposed legislation could therefore significantly raise the stakes for farmers who allow their animals to breach FMD restrictions.
If enacted, permanent confiscation would represent one of the toughest penalties yet proposed for livestock movement violations, placing greater responsibility on farmers to keep their animals within authorised areas as government seeks to contain FMD.