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Johannesburg - The foot-and-mouth disease control line is not being maintained, the Transvaal Agricultural Union of SA (TAU SA) said on Friday.
The union said it was concerned about the outbreak in KwaZulu-Natal.
"Trading of animals continues and no effective roadblocks have been set in motion to enforce the banning of transportation of animals," said TAU SA president Ben Marais.
"As far as is known, only one farm has been quarantined by the state veterinarian ... Infected animals have been moved from Vryheid (in northern KwaZulu-Natal) to Gauteng and there is a danger that more areas can soon be affected," he said.
According to information obtained by the union, the R25m allocated to reduce foot-and-mouth was not yet available or was not being used, Marais said.
"We want to state very clear(ly) that any losses suffered by farmers due to the slow and clumsy handling of the situation will be for the account of government.
"Immediate attention should be given to the safety networks for cattle theft to prevent infected cattle which may have been stolen being taken away on routes other than the known road network," he said.
The union was demanding that vaccinations start on Friday, the ban on transporting cattle be enforced and the disease be dealt with urgently so that farmers could continue to send cattle to the markets with a minimum loss of income.
"The time for meetings on the situation has now ended. The time for urgent action has come," Marais said.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance said it was also concerned about a reported case of foot-and-mouth disease in Gauteng.
"Foot-and-mouth is not a disease common to Gauteng and while the DA commends the quick and correct actions taken by officials thus far, this outbreak brings the department's ineptitudes to the fore," the party said in a statement.
"It is very worrying that the Gauteng department of agriculture... has a very limited budget, as well as difficulties with retaining and finding staff with the requisite skills."
The DA said the disease had the potential to impact all industries dependent on animals that could be infected.
Earlier this month the agriculture department announced there was a suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Foot-and-mouth disease is a severe, highly contagious viral disease which affects livestock - cattle and swine, as well as sheep, goats, and other cloven-hoofed animals.
The disease does not affect human beings. The agriculture department said some cattle in 23 dip tanks had tested positive for the disease.
The union said it was concerned about the outbreak in KwaZulu-Natal.
"Trading of animals continues and no effective roadblocks have been set in motion to enforce the banning of transportation of animals," said TAU SA president Ben Marais.
"As far as is known, only one farm has been quarantined by the state veterinarian ... Infected animals have been moved from Vryheid (in northern KwaZulu-Natal) to Gauteng and there is a danger that more areas can soon be affected," he said.
According to information obtained by the union, the R25m allocated to reduce foot-and-mouth was not yet available or was not being used, Marais said.
"We want to state very clear(ly) that any losses suffered by farmers due to the slow and clumsy handling of the situation will be for the account of government.
"Immediate attention should be given to the safety networks for cattle theft to prevent infected cattle which may have been stolen being taken away on routes other than the known road network," he said.
The union was demanding that vaccinations start on Friday, the ban on transporting cattle be enforced and the disease be dealt with urgently so that farmers could continue to send cattle to the markets with a minimum loss of income.
"The time for meetings on the situation has now ended. The time for urgent action has come," Marais said.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance said it was also concerned about a reported case of foot-and-mouth disease in Gauteng.
"Foot-and-mouth is not a disease common to Gauteng and while the DA commends the quick and correct actions taken by officials thus far, this outbreak brings the department's ineptitudes to the fore," the party said in a statement.
"It is very worrying that the Gauteng department of agriculture... has a very limited budget, as well as difficulties with retaining and finding staff with the requisite skills."
The DA said the disease had the potential to impact all industries dependent on animals that could be infected.
Earlier this month the agriculture department announced there was a suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Foot-and-mouth disease is a severe, highly contagious viral disease which affects livestock - cattle and swine, as well as sheep, goats, and other cloven-hoofed animals.
The disease does not affect human beings. The agriculture department said some cattle in 23 dip tanks had tested positive for the disease.
