Dairy farmers in the Midlands say they have been instructed to shut down a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) disinfection point in Karkloof Road, outside Howick, due to a lack of authorisation. The farmers set up the disinfection point in response to the ongoing outbreak, which has devastated the sector and left livestock suffering from painful foot, mouth and teat lesions. Farmers toldThe Witnessthat members of the EFF had reported them to police for operating an illegal roadblock on a public road.
Karkloof farmer Andrew Morphew said police informed them they were conducting an illegal roadblock and ordered the operation to stop. “The station commander said his hands are tied. If, by definition, only law enforcement can operate a roadblock, he needs a minimum of eight members, and he can’t give us eight members,” Morphew said.
When asked to clarify, uMgungundlovu District police spokesperson Sergeant Sifiso Gwala said SAPS was not aware of any complaint relating to the disinfection point. However, Gwala said a request for a two-hour roadblock, during which vehicles would be stopped and disinfected, had been raised at a meeting between farmers and local SAPS. Police were unable to accommodate the request and declined it.
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“According to the law, no one other than police or law enforcement officers may conduct a roadblock, and authorisation is required,” Gwala said. This is for the safety of both the person stopping the vehicle and the motorist. However, anyone may request a multi-disciplinary collaboration with the police, subject to approval by the relevant authorities. Farmers also remain angry and frustrated over the government’s inability to provide vaccines.
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