News / National
Mugabe's cows eat our grass claims South Africans
31 May 2012 at 15:35hrs | Views
Cows crossing the border from Zimbabwe to South Africa
LIVESTOCK time bomb is ready to explode in the northern part of Mzansi claims the a South African tabloid the Daily Sun!
Cattle, donkeys and other animals are crossing through holes in the border fence made by illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe to go graze South Africa's greener grass.
The tabloid claims that these animals are not tested for foot-and-mouth disease, and there is a real threat that the killer disease can spread.
And it appears that Zim farmers are deliberately cutting the fence so that their animals can graze south of the border!
Daily Sun travelled 170km along the border fence with local farmer Hannes Nel, who pointed out many places where the fence's razor wire had been cut by humans.
When animals get infected with foot-and-mouth disease, they should be killed and the carcasses burnt. The farming community of Weipe at Musina could suffer a loss of R700 million and 5 000 jobs if their animals get wiped out.
"Foot-and-mouth disease has been detected on the Zimbabwean side. We are very worried about the livestock crossing into Limpopo," said Nel.
The Tabloid claims that the animals from Zimbabwe eat the grazing needed by South African livestock.
The Zimbabwean cattle and donkeys do huge damage to the crops of South African farmers.
There is a great danger that foot-and-mouth disease will spread to other parts of Mzansi.
The problem is not only with livestock. Nel said tons of citrus will not be allowed to be exported if it had been produced in an area affected by foot-and-mouth.
"Game farms will be forced to close, resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs," he said.
Nel wants to know who will take responsibility to stop the Zim animal invasion.
"Our government must urgently protect the citizens of South Africa against abusive actions by foreigners. As farmers we are powerless, we have no authority to act on their own. We need help!"
Cattle, donkeys and other animals are crossing through holes in the border fence made by illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe to go graze South Africa's greener grass.
The tabloid claims that these animals are not tested for foot-and-mouth disease, and there is a real threat that the killer disease can spread.
And it appears that Zim farmers are deliberately cutting the fence so that their animals can graze south of the border!
Daily Sun travelled 170km along the border fence with local farmer Hannes Nel, who pointed out many places where the fence's razor wire had been cut by humans.
When animals get infected with foot-and-mouth disease, they should be killed and the carcasses burnt. The farming community of Weipe at Musina could suffer a loss of R700 million and 5 000 jobs if their animals get wiped out.
"Foot-and-mouth disease has been detected on the Zimbabwean side. We are very worried about the livestock crossing into Limpopo," said Nel.
The Tabloid claims that the animals from Zimbabwe eat the grazing needed by South African livestock.
The Zimbabwean cattle and donkeys do huge damage to the crops of South African farmers.
There is a great danger that foot-and-mouth disease will spread to other parts of Mzansi.
The problem is not only with livestock. Nel said tons of citrus will not be allowed to be exported if it had been produced in an area affected by foot-and-mouth.
"Game farms will be forced to close, resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs," he said.
Nel wants to know who will take responsibility to stop the Zim animal invasion.
"Our government must urgently protect the citizens of South Africa against abusive actions by foreigners. As farmers we are powerless, we have no authority to act on their own. We need help!"
Source - Daily Sun
