13 Jan 2019

Member of Parliament for Ngamiland Mr Thato Kwerepe has urged veterinary officers in Etsha 6 and Tubu in the Okavango region to work hard and ensure that the Amblyomma Hebraenum, commonly known as the South African bont tick, which has affected livestock in the area, does not spread.

This follows residents’ concerns in kgotla meetings that if not controlled, the tick, which has killed most of their livestock, would render most of the farmers poor.

Mr Kwerepe said Okavango is one of the poorest regions in the country, noting that livestock rearing was the main means of survival. 

He said the tick posed a threat to the residents’ livelihood.

He however assured them that government was doing everything possible to ensure that the situation is stabilised. 

On other issues, Mr Kwerepe suggested that residents be given first priority in baking tenders, more especially at primary and secondary schools, instead of hiring entrepreneurs from far-off places while those in the village had capacity.

He also counseled residents to take advantage of the ministry of health’s initiative to spray their homes for mosquito, which is rampant in the area. 

Mr Kwerepe also talked about companies that desert the contract site without paying workers, saying such companies should be blacklisted.

Still at the meeting, the assistant scientific officer in the Department of Veterinary Services in Gumare, Mr Tebalo Magano, stated that they had made a request of 550 000ml of maxitet as well as delete tip, but  only received 66 000ml, which was not enough to eliminate the tick. 

However, he said they managed to cover Tubu extension area, which was highly affected and were still awaiting more medicine to spray other parts of the region.

Mr Magano encouraged farmers to buy dips to prevent the damage that the tick could cause on their livestock. 

He noted that Foot and Mouth Disease was under control and movements of livestock was permitted, hence farmers were able to sell their livestock in local abattoirs and butcheries. ENDS