13 Feb 2013

Department of Veterinary Services in Tsabong will, with effect from March, close all unlicensed slaughter slabs that kill for public consumption.

Ministry of Agriculture’s public relations officer for Kgalagadi, Mr Peter Manguba said in an interview that the move followed the discovery that some butchery owners slaughtered animals under trees and at unhygienic places. Currently, there are five slaughter slabs in Tsabong and only two have been licensed

The department's move was meant to protect the public from consuming meat from unhygienic slaughter slabs and to avoid cruelty to animals when slaughtered. Inspected meat from a licensed slaughter slabs was certificated and stamped.

He warned that any person caught selling meat that was not inspected would be dealt with using Livestock and Meat Industries Act of 2007.  The act states that “perpetrators will be liable to fine not exceeding P6 000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or to imprisonment without option of a fine and in the case of a continuous offence the perpetrator will be fined maximum of P2 000 for every day the offence is committed”.

Mr Manguba urged all slaughter slab owners to comply with the requirement to avoid punishment by law.

He said for them to be licensed, slab owners should have a structure which had a plan. They were also required to explain in detail how slaughtering would be done. After satisfying the above requirements, owners could then apply for a license from DVS, adding that the license was renewed annually. ENDS