Pretoria – Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Thoko Didiza has removed the ban on the movement of cattle in the Free State.
Farms unaffected by foot and mouth disease (FMD) can continue with their business, she said.
However, farms that tested positive for FMD, or are under suspicion for FMD, will still remain under quarantine.
“As I promised before, monthly reviews will be conducted to assess the spread of the FMD outbreak, in the affected provinces.
“The disease management areas in KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo provinces remain in place and they will be reviewed on a monthly bases,” Didiza said.
She added that the lifting of the ban would be effective upon the release of the gazette.
Last month, Didiza lifted the countrywide ban on the movement of cattle sparked by an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease
Didiza repealed the control measures, except in the new disease management areas in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and Free State.
The department’s spokesperson, Reggie Ngcobo, said that in KZN, the disease management area would be retained in KwaNongoma, Ulundi, KwaHlabisa, eHluhluwe and eMtubatuba.
“In Limpopo, we will retain the disease management area in the protected zone and around,” Ngcobo said at the time.
In Free State, the department covered areas where no improvement had been observed, including areas such as Marquad, Viljoenskroon and Harrismith.
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