26 Jun 2024

Due to limited resources and other challenges, the Ministry of Agriculture has prioritised maintenance of cordon fences that separate FMD free zones from infected ones.

Responding to a question at Ntlo Ya Dikosi on Monday, Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Talita Monnakgotla indicated that it was for that reason that the Ministry of

Agriculture diverted funds to the tune of P45 million from other projects in favour of erecting a cordon fence from Mabule to Tlhareseleele/Ramatlabama, to protect the country from the threat of FMD from South Africa.

“Consequently, maintenance of inter zonal fences within FMD free zones such as zones nine and 10 tend to lag behind but this does not mean that these fences are abandoned.

The ministry will increasingly resort to partnering with communities living along these fences for their maintenance through programmes such as Ipelegeng,” he said.

Ms Monnakgotla said that there were however, no immediate plans to erect boom gates at Makoro, Rantseane and Martins Drift point of entry from Sherwood to check and control movement of livestock into the Palapye area for similar reasons.

She said that there were currently 42 permanent veterinary officers deployed as gatekeepers at all these gates.

Ms Monnakgotla was responding to a question from Kgosi Johane Rakumako of Tswapong region asked when the ministry intended to maintain cordon fences between Zone nine and zone 10 in areas between Lecheng, Matlhakola up to Lerala veterinary gate as the fence was currently down, resulting in rampant cross border theft.

Kgosi Rakumako also asked if the ministry would consider erecting boom gates at Makoro, Rantseane and Martins Drift points of entry from Sherwood to check and control movement of livestock into the Palapye area.

He also wanted to know the number of permanent veterinary officers deployed to all the mentioned gates. ENDS