The Democratic Alliance (DA) recently conducted an oversight inspection at the Mara Cattle and Research station following stock theft of more than a hundred head of cattle early in August 2020.
This was also not the first reported incident of cattle theft at the station.
The DA is concerned about the general lack of upkeep of infrastructure and the lack of efficacy at the station, specifically:
- The shocking state of accommodation for the more than 100 employees that live there;
- The laboratory is not functional;
- The lack of proper fencing around the 11 500 hectare farm, which allows for easy access to criminals and poachers;
- The cattle are only tagged in the ear and should be branded to make it more difficult to sell if stolen; and
- The lack of security, except at the main gate.
See photos here, here, here, here, here and here.
The lack of adequate infrastructure renders the laboratory nonfunctional despite the fact that there are researchers and technicians living on the station.
It is furthermore a concern that the station’s size is not utilized as the station currently keeps a 1 000 head of cattle and 1 000 head of livestock, which is much less than the 11 500 hectares can sustain.
The DA will write to the MEC for Agriculture, Nandi Ndalane, to request a meeting to discuss the revitalisation of the station, which must include in the short term the security at the station be upgraded to include adequate fencing around the perimeter and the camps as well as an increased armed security compliment.
We will further request the MEC to ensure that the laboratory be revitalised. Currently all samples are sent to Makhado and Onderstepoort for testing.
Just under a year ago Limpopo experienced a devastating outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) which caused the World Animal Health Organisation to suspend South Africa’s FMD free status. This ban lead to serious financial losses, not only in sales, but as a result of the mandatory killing of livestock. This outbreak highlighted the lack of resources the province has to combat FMD.
We believe that once the Mara cattle and research station is revitalised, it should be able to play a critical role in the fight against Foot and Mouth disease in our province.