John Steenhuizen. (Photo: Maroela Media)
The organizations Saai, Vrystaat Landbou and Sakeliga have submitted an urgent application to the High Court in Pretoria to stop the state’s restrictive measures on foot-and-mouth disease, while a review application is being prepared on their legality.
The organizations are asking for an interim interdict against John Steenhuisen, the minister of agriculture, the department of agriculture and the director of animal health.
The three organizations are asking the court to intervene to prevent “further and irreparable damage” pending a formal review of the minister and his department’s decisions and the handling of the outbreak and the vaccine for it.
The application follows the alleged failure of Steenhuisen to substantiate the ban on the acquisition and administration of vaccine by the private sector, as well as his department’s alleged interference which, according to the applicants, hindered and delayed private importation of vaccine.
“Steenhuisen and his colleagues’ insistence on state control over all aspects of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine – in contrast to the general practice where private procurement and administration of vaccines for other livestock diseases takes place – caused widespread distress and production losses,” says Sakeliga.
“We are in the middle of a financial disaster. Farmers are simply asking not to be prevented from protecting their own animals and their right to exist,” says Francois Rossouw, CEO of Saai.
The shipment, which is provided by Dollvet from Turkey. (Photo: Dunevax)
The interim interdict seeks to prevent the minister and officials from “unreasonably interfering” with farmers who want to legally obtain and apply vaccine, as well as with private import and distribution arrangements.
Free State Agriculture says its position is that farmers should not be prevented from protecting their own animals where they have the ability to do so legally and responsibly.
“At a time when the state itself recognizes capacity challenges and the disease is already widespread, it is unacceptable that private initiatives and resources are blocked,” says Francois Wilken, president of Free State Agriculture.
Dr. Theo de Jager, chairman of the board of Saai, says “forbidding farmers to act in parallel with the state against foot-and-mouth while losses are escalating, is not only economically harmful but legally untenable”.
The court is now requested to give urgent legal certainty before further damage is done to herds and farming operations.
The application is expected to be heard later this month.