PRESENTATION TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES
OIE MISSION TO RSA TO EVALUATE CONTROLS FOR
FMD
24 FEBRUARY 2015
PRESENTATION OUTLINE
 2013 mission
 2014 mission
 Progress so far
2013 OIE MISSION
 The 2013 mission covered four countries that have zones free of Foot and
Mouth Disease, it started on the 28th October with a visit to Namibia and
Botswana before coming to South Africa from 3rd to 8th November, a one day
visit to Swaziland slotted in during the South Africa visit on the 5th November.
 The aim of that mission was to:
 assess the implementation and compliance with the relevant provisions of
the Terrestrial Code e
 ensure the maintenance of FMD free status and,
 in the case of South Africa, to assess the situation following the suspension
of its FMD free status with effect from 25 February 2011.
3
2013 OIE MISSION FINDINGS
 The following findings were made:
 Identification of animals within the protection zone:
 Visibility of the Veterinary Services control:
 The internal control measures already applied in the protection zone should
continue to be managed
 Introduction of animals from the protection zone into the free zone
 Ndumo and Tembe must be managed similar to the KNP
 The Protection zone in KNP
 Maintenance of the international fences:
4
2013 OIE MISSION PROGRESS
 Following this mission, the Department embarked on the following:
 An addendum was submitted to the OIE giving specific assurances following
the mission.
 600 000 unique ear tags were procured for the protection zones and the high
surveillance zone of KZN.
 A software system to enable data capturing of individual tags as well as
ownership was procured, though this process proved to be lengthy.
 The Veterinary Procedural Notice was amended to fully comply with the OIE
Code and its terminology:
 The fence in KZN, that which used to be called the “red line fence” was reerected.
 The international fence continues to be maintained, though financial
constrains make is difficult.
5
2014 OIE MISSION
 This mission was dedicated to South Africa, as a follow up to the 2013 mission.
This mission took place from 30 November to 6th December 2014. Its aim was
to
 assess the compliance with the relevant provisions of the Terrestrial Animal
Health Code (Terrestrial Code)
 ensure the maintenance of FMD free status including the measures
described in the addendum to the application which was submitted for
recovery of FMD free status in January 2014, regarding Limpopo,
Mpumalanga and Kwa-Zulu Natal Provinces.
6
2014 OIE MISSION FINDINGS
The OIE mission was impressed with:
 progress made with regards to the animal identification, though progress was found to
be slow. The team advised that tagging start from outwards inwards, thus ensuring that
animals closed to the Free Zone are identifiable should they stray into the Free Zone.
 Progress made with the building of the “red line fence”. They however raised concern
that there are no manned check points.
7
2014 OIE MISSION FINDINGS (Cont...)
 The RSA Zimbabwe border fence: though this fence was generally intact, a few
breakage points were discovered. The team also found that there is no
documented procedure on how stray animals will be handled when found.
 Separation of animals at dipping in KZN: due to shortage of facilities, animals
from the Protection Zone, which is regarded as infected, and those from the
High Surveillance Zone, which is regarded as free, are at some dipping tanks
dipped on the same day.
 Slaughter of animals from the Protection Zone: the risk mitigation measures
which are prescribed in the Code were not being practised at the abattoir.
 Availability of vaccine: since the ARC OVI stopped producing the FMD vaccine,
it is procured in Botswana. Due to the Mpumalanga outbreaks last year, all this
resource was directed to Mpumalanga leaving a number of dip tanks in
Limpopo unvaccinated.
 Eastern boundary fence of Ndumo: the fence east of the game reserve has
been brought down by the community, leaving a possibility of contact between
buffalo and cattle likely.
8
2014 OIE MISSION FINDINGS (Cont...)
 Visibility: Despite this being a finding in the 2013 mission, very little had been
achieved. The team expects for road signage informing the general public of
the boundaries.
 Completion and manning of the “red line fence”: the team advices that
envisaged completion times be adhered to.
 Identification of animals: though the team was encouraged by the progress,
they advised that animals closest to the free zone be given priority.
 Filling of vacant posts: this was raised during the previous mission, and the
team was disappointed to find that the situation had only slightly improved.
 Post Vaccination Monitoring Programme: the team advised that we introduce
monitoring of vaccinated animals to assess the effectiveness of the vaccine.
9
2014 OIE MISSION PROGRESS
 The RSA Zimbabwe border fence: A team of 30 Tradesmen Aids, and two
Control Technicians were deployed, resources re-directed to strengthen
this fence. Approximately 30 kilometres of fence has been repaired. A
Standard Operating Procedure for the handling of animals has been
developed and signed off.
SA/Zimbabwe border fences before repairs
Same fences after repairs
10
2014 OIE MISSION PROGRESS(Cont...)
 Separation of animals at dipping in KZN: an instruction was issued that the
dipping of animals be separated by days as a short time measure. KZN has
prioritised the construction of dipping facilities which will resolve this problem.
 Slaughter of animals from the Protection Zone: So far only two abattoirs in
Limpopo are slaughtering animals from the Protection Zone, pH meters have
been procured to measure and monitor the maturation and pH drop of
carcases. A Standard Operating Procedure has been designed to outline how
these abattoirs are going to be designated and how they should handle live
animals, carcases and offal (especially heads, feet and dirty offal). Full
compliance is expected at end of February 2015.
11
2014 OIE MISSION PROGRESS (Cont...)
 Availability of vaccine: 300 000 doses of vaccine was procured and half of
which went to Limpopo. 13 657 animals had been vaccinated by end
January and it is expected that the vaccination campaign will be
completed by end February. A further 300 000 doses are in the process of
being procured from Botswana.
In order to ensure the cold chain is adequately maintained, thermometers
are being procured for provincial offices where vaccine stocks are
being stored.
 Eastern boundary fence of Ndumo: The KwaZulu Natal Department of
Agriculture and Rural Development has undertaken to construct this
fence and construction will commence during February and completed in
June 2015.
 Another concern was surveillance of buffalo in both reserves, work in
this area has already started with samples from Tembe being collected,
and sampling in Ndumo to commence in the second half of March.
12
2014 OIE MISSION PROGRESS (Cont...)
 Visibility: All three provincial Departments of Transport have been
approached and all have given permission for signage to be put up.
Procurement of road signage is in progress, with Limpopo having placed
orders and expecting delivery by end of February 2015.
Temporary FMD sign boards erected
Permanent FMD sign Boards delivered
13
2014 OIE MISSION PROGRESS (Cont...)
 Completion and manning of the “red line fence”. Completion of the fence is
expected at the end of May 2015. So far 36% of the fence has been
completed. 28 check points will be build into the fence with 137
permanent posts already being funded, 77 of which are filled.
The completed portion of the Red-line fence in KwaZulu-Natal.
 Identification of animals: prioritisation of animals in the Protection Zone
closest to the Free Zone has started.
14
2014 OIE MISSION PROGRESS (Cont...)
 Filling of vacant posts:
 DAFF: efforts are under way to have posts filled. 25 posts of
Tradesman Aid posts will be filled by end of March.
 MP: 5 Animal Heath Technician (AHT) posts have been filled with effect
from 1 December 2014 and two (2) more have been advertised.
 KZN: is prioritising contract employment of AHTs.
 Post Vaccination Monitoring Programme: DAFF has established a
surveillance plan for the entire Protection Zone and for the high
surveillance zone of KZN
15
2014 OIE MISSION PROGRESS (Cont...)
 Last but most important, the Minister, Deputy Minister and Director General let
OPERATION COMPLIENCE campaign in January. This consisted of Izimbizo
and media campaigns
FMD awareness campaign in KwaZulu-Natal.
Dr Modisane doing an interview on a breakfast
show particularly targeting farmers.
16
QUESTIONS??
17