NERPO calls for the regulation of abattoirs to combat rocketting stock-theft rate
11 Oct 2004
Over 500 fuming and disgruntled livestock farmers of the Limpopo province gathered in Polokwane recently to participate in a livestock theft summit organised by the Limpopo Departments of Agriculture and Safety and Security.
The Summit is a result of the commitment made by the MEC for Agriculture, Aaron Motsoaledi and MEC for Safety, Security and Liaison Ms Dikeledi Magazi, at the Livestock Development Summit held in August this year. At that summit the two MECs promised to address farmers concerns about rising stock-theft.
Law Enforcement
Aggrey Mahanjana, group managing director of NERPO called on the government for ardous law enforcement and rigorously apply legislations inteded to curb stock-theft such as the Animal Identification Act, Act No. 6 of 2002 and the Meat Safety Act, Act. No 40 of 2000.
He also called upon the government to impose regulatory mechanisms on livestock agents and/or speculators. "Stock-theft severly impacts on the profitability of the livestock farmers," Mahanjana said.
"I am not prepared to live in country where some work very hard and others rip off that wealth," said Dr. Motswaledi MEC for Agriculture in the Limpopo province, at the summit.
Dr. Mostwaledi has first hand knoweledge of farmers' problems with regard to stock-theft, which he obtained throughn his Imbizo programme aimed at creating dialogue between farmers and provincial government..
The exercise accorded the MEC with the opportunity to listen to disheartening testimonies that were shared by disgruntled farmers whose determination in farming has been under threat to rocketing rates of stock theft in the province.
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