19 Nov 2018

Picketing along the Botswana/Zimbabwe border is a critical component of the disease control strategy of the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security. 

This was said by Assistant Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security Mr Frans Van Der Westhuizen when answering a question in Parliament recently.

He explained that the ministry, through the Department of Veterinary Services, continued to embark on a mission to revamp the picketing system by regrouping pickets and setting up mini camps along the common border with Zimbabwe. 

Mr Van Der Westhuizen said the deployment of pickets at the  strategic mini camps started on June 6, last year, adding that three picket points had been established at Dzibanana, Sematlaphiri and Marobalakgomo in the Nata/Maitengwe area. 

He said more deployments and setting up of such mini camps at Nsekesa, Dagwi and Nkhwanya picket points would be completed by the end of March next year. 

The assistant minister added that the minister was also aware of the status of the disease control cordon fences running along Botswana/Zimbabwe border. 

He said maintenance of the disease control fences was the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security’s responsibility, saying currently fence maintenance control teams were undertaking maintenance works from Maitengwe quarantine station through Maitengwe border post towards Nkhwanya picket point near Goshwe. 

He said in an effort to strengthen and address transport shortage for fence maintenance teams, a new vehicle was issued to Dagwi camp on November 8. 

MP for Nkange Mr Edwin Batshu had asked when the ministry would deploy pickets along the dilapidated Botswana/Zimbabwe border fence between the villages of Goshwe and Maitengwe in order to prevent the possible outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease due to cattle from Botswana coming into contact with those from Zimbabwe. ENDS