uMngeni Mayor, Chris Pappas, has set up a war room to tackle foot and mouth disease (FMD) in the municipality. Members of the SAPS, uMngeni Traffic and Law Enforcement, representatives of the Milk Producers Organisation (MPO) and the Red Meat Producers Organisation (RPO), AFASA, the state vet, dip tank chairpersons and traditional leader representatives are expected to be asked to be involved in the sessions. Pappas said: “I have made contact with some of these people already and will continue to contact others throughout the day.
“The purpose of the war room is to ensure that we are all on the same page with local plans, constraints, and risks.” He has also appealed to local farming communities to identify a designated representative who can participate in the FMD War Room. Areas to be represented include Birnamwood, Hilton College Road, Merrivale/Cedara, Karkloof, Curry’s Post, Petrus Stroom, Caversham, Lidgetton, Dargle, Balgowan/Lions River, Lower Loteni, Fort Nottingham and Nottingham Road/Mount West. “These areas are roughly selected by associated main roads and the representatives will assist with coordination, information sharing, and rapid response within their respective areas,” said Pappas.
uMngeni Municipality will also be assisting farmers in more practical ways during the FMD crisis. Pappas confirmed to Village Talk that they were planning to provide rates relief for affected farmers in order to assist with cashflow and assisting with disaster funding to halt the spread of the disease. Due to the FMD outbreak, no unauthorised or undocumented movement of livestock is permitted.
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This includes, but is not limited to, cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs. Pappas said livestock owners had to comply with directives issued by the Department of Agriculture regarding disease control measures, inspections, vaccinations, quarantine requirements, and movement controls.
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