Minister Didiza should revoke impulsive ban on cattle movement
17 August 2022
ActionSA calls upon the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, to urgently reconsider and revoke this illogical knee-jerk “decree” to ban the movement of cattle before having implemented a variety of interventions that do not threaten to decimate the livelihoods of the cattle industry.
We further request that she call all the affected stakeholders together to come up with a coherent and sustainable action plan to scientifically rid ourselves of this destructive but controllable disease.
ActionSA is being inundated by complaints and outrage at this latest impulsive reaction by the Minister because it threatens to destroy the livelihoods of thousands of farmers and farm workers. There are livestock auctions and breeding stock sales that happen every day in SA that are crucial to the well-being of the red meat industry and equally important to the food security chain for millions of South Africans across the country.
While we appreciate the Minister’s valid need to control the outbreak, we believe that there are more sensible alternatives to this ban. We also find the exemption of the movement of cattle for ritual slaughter arbitrary and therefore irrational. If the Minister believes that movement should be banned, then all movement should be banned.