16 Apr 2018

Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Mr Patrick Ralotsia says the Francistown abattoir is neither facing privatisation nor sale.

Minister Ralotsia said the recent cabinet decision was that it be placed under maintenance and care to allow for its use when the Lobatse BMC plant was closed for refurbishment.

He also told Parliament that the BMC abattoir lacked throughput and had the capacity to slaughter 380 cattle per day, but that most of the time it slaughtered less than the figure per week.

Mr Ralotsia further said he was not aware that there was no abattoir in Francistown District and the entire northern region that was not working.

The Botalaote abattoir, he said, was operational and rendered slaughter services to farmers in and around Francistown, and that slaughter services were also offered by abattoirs in Tonota and Tutume.

Mr Ralotsia also stated that meat from the Botalaote abattoir was inspected which indicated that it did not pose a health risk to the public.

The minister further said he was aware that the Francistown abattoir was leased to a private operator and had been closed due to failure to meet waste water requirements.

That, he said, was due to unavailable ponds to hold waste water while awaiting treatment leading to untreated water being released into the sewage line.

Mr Ralotsia further noted that the problem of abattoirs was not only unique to Francistown beef producers as there were other areas that were even further away from abattoir such as Ghanzi and Tsabong. He indicated that Francistown beef producers could slaughter their cattle in abattoirs in Tutume, Palapye, Tonota, Toteng near Makaleng and Rakops.

Francistown West MP, Mr Ignitius Moswaane had asked the minister to update Parliament if the Francistown abattoir was facing privatisation or sale. He also wanted to know if there was no abattoir in the Francistown District and the entire northern region.

He also asked the minister to explain about the Francistown City Council abattoir which was leased to a private entity, but was immediately closed on account of failure to meet waste water requirements.

Furthermore, the MP wanted to know if the minister was aware that Francistown beef producers were facing challenges of expensive trips to and from abattoirs, of which some were almost 400km away from Francistown. ENDS