Adjunkspeaker, "die vertraging met die lewering van bloutongentstof is 'n tydbom wat ernstige gevolge vir die land se kleinveebedryf inhou". Dit is die woorde van mnr Breezke van die Boere Koperasie Beperk, BKB.
Die DA stem heelhartig hiermee saam en is veral bekommerd oor minister Zokwana se antwoord aan my dat daar geen uitwerking op die veebedryf is as entstowwe nie betyds beskikbaar is nie. Volgens inligting kan die land R2,5 miljoen se diere en toekomstige produksie verloor indien slegs 5% van ons kudde sou vrek as gevolg van die onbeskikbaarheid aan bloutongentstof.
Die renseisoen is nou op hande en indien hierdie entstowwe nie dadelik beskibaar is nie kan daar groot getalle vrektes van vee verwag word. Entstowwe is 'n noodsaaklikheid om siektes te beveg en word benodig om ons veebedryf se biosekuriteit te bevorder. Ons is nounet deur 'n periode waar rooivleis nie uitgevoer kon word nie as gevolg van bek-en-klouseer. Hierdie uitbraak het die land ongeveer R4 miljard per jaar gekos en kan weer herhaal word sou die land sy uitvoerstatus verloor.
Die DA versoek Minister Zokwana om nie sy ore uit te leen aan die vervaardigers van die entstowwe en die oorsaak van hierdie probleem nie, maar om met die veebedryf te vergader en die geweldige bekommernisse hieroor aan te hoor. Dit is nou die derde jaar in 'n ry waarin sekere entstowwe nie beskikbaar is nie en dit moet onmiddelik aangespreek word. (Translation of member's statement follows.)
[Ms A STEYN (DA): Deputy Speaker, "the delay in the delivery of blue tongue vaccine is a time bomb that holds serious consequences for the country's small stock industry". These are the words of Mr Breetzke of the Boere Koperasie Bpk (BBK).
The DA agrees wholeheartedly and we are particularly worried about Minister Zokwana's reply to me that there is no effect on the livestock industry if vaccines are not available on time. According to information the country would stand to lose R2,5 million in animals and future production if only 5% of our stock were to die as a result of the unavailability of blue tongue vaccine.
The rainy season is near and if these vaccines do not become available immediately a large number of stock deaths can be expected. Vaccines are a necessity to combat disease and are needed to facilitate the biosecurity of our livestock industry. We have just gone through a period in which red meat could not be exported due to foot-and-mouth disease. That outbreak has cost the country about R4 billion per annum, which could be repeated if the country loses its exporting status.
The DA requests Minister Zokwana not to lend an ear to the producers of the vaccines and the cause of this problem, but to meet with the livestock industry and hear their enormous concerns in this regard. It is now the third year in a row in which certain vaccines are unavailable and this should be addressed immediately.]