SPEECH BY THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, HONOURABLE JABULANI MABUZA DURING THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF LOMAHASHA DIPPING TANK NO. 204 IN THE LUBOMBO REGION UNDER LOMAHASHA SUB STATION ON THE 1st AUGUST 2019

 

  • MASTER OF CEREMONIES
  • YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESSES
  • CHIEFS
  • R.A LUBOMBO REGION
  • HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
  • PRINCIPAL SECRETARY
  • INDVUNA YENKHUNDLA
  • INKHUNDLA COUNCIL
  • GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
  • THE MEDIA
  • SECURITY
  • DISTINGUISHED GUESTS
  • LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

GREETINGS TO EVERYONE.

IT IS AN HONOUR AND PRIVILEGE TO BE INVITED TO OFFICIATE IN THIS GREAT AND IMPORTANT EVENT OF THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF LOMAHSHA DIPPING TANK NO.204 HERE IN THE LUBOMBO REGION UNDER LOMAHASHA CHIEFDOM.

YOUR PRESENCE IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED AND I AM COGNISANT OF THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE LEFT OTHER IMPORTANT DUTIES TO BE WITH US HERE AND BE WITNESSES OF THE GREAT EVENT.

IT IS SO HUMBLING TO SEE THE GREAT INITIATIVE YOU HAVE TAKEN IN SEEING THIS PROJECT A SUCCESS THROUGH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND WHICH IS UNDER THE MINISTRY OF TINKHUNDLA ADMINISTRATION AND DEVELOPMENT, WORKING WITH MICROPROJECT UNDER THE MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC PLANNING AS THE IMPLEMENTING AGENT. IT IS WORTH MENTIONING THAT GOVERNMENT HAS ALWAYS UNDERTAKEN TO FUND SUCH INITIATIVES OF DEVELOPMENT ESPECIALLY IN THE RURAL AREAS. TODAY IS AN OPPORTUNE TIME TO APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS AND AT THE SAME TIME TO THANK HIS MAJESTY GOVERNMENT FOR HER CONTINUED ASSISTANCE IN IMPROVING THE LIVELIHOOD OF HER PEOPLE.

LUBOMBO PROTECTION ZONE

THIS IS MY FIRST TIME TO OFFICIALLY OPEN A DIP TANK IN THIS ZONE – THE LUBOMBO PROTECTION ZONE (LIHAWU LEKUVIKELA LIVE KULESIFO SEMLOMO NEMASONDVO). I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT MANY YEARS AGO THIS ZONE WAS A FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE INFECTED ZONE. THE LAST OUTBREAK OF FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE WAS IN 2001 WHERE MANY FARMERS LOST THEIR ANIMALS, WHICH WERE CULLED DUE TO THE DISEASE. THE COUNTRY WILL FOREVER BE GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR THE SACRIFICE AND COOPERATION DURING THE OUTBREAK.

IN 2010 THE COUNTRY ACHIEVED INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED FREEDOM FROM FMD AND TODAY IT IS ONE OF VERY FEW COUNTRIES RECOGNISED BY THE WORLD ORGANIZATION FOR ANIMAL HEALTH (OIE) AS ‘FREE OF THE FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE VIRUS WITHOUT VACCINATION’. THIS IS THE HIGHEST STATUS AND IT ENABLED YOU TO CHANGE FROM AN INFECTED ZONE TO A PROTECTION ZONE AND TRADE IN ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS BETWEEN THIS ZONE AND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY RESUMED. THIS ACHIEVEMENT COMES WITH VARIOUS RESPONSIBILITIES AND PLEASE ALLOW ME TO REMIND US ALL ABOUT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES:

  1. THE BOUNDARY FENCE / CORDON FENCES

BOTH CORDON FENCES BELONG TO ESWATINI. THE 100M SPACE IN BETWEEN IS ESWATINI TERRITORY AND NOT NO- MAN’S LAND AS OTHERS SOMETIMES CLAIM. THE PURPOSE OF THE SPACE IS TO ENSURE THAT OUR LIVESTOCK AND OUR NEIGHBOUR’S LIVESTOCK DO NOT COME INTO CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER. OUR NEIGHBOUR STILL HAS MAJOR CHALLENGES WITH DISEASES SUCH AS FMD AND THAT IS THE REASON WE WANT OUR ANIMALS TO REMAIN TOTALLY SEPARATED FROM THE NEIGHBOURS’ ANIMALS. FOR THIS REASON, I AGAIN CALL- TO- ACTION ALL STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING YOU THE FARMERS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, CORDON GUARDS, UMBUTFO ESWATINI DEFENCE FORCE (UEDF) AND THE ROYAL ESWATINI POLICE (REP) TO GUARD THE FENCE JEALOUSLY TO PROTECT THE COUNTRY’S TERRITORY AND RESOURCES. LET US ALL WORK TOGETHER TO MAINTAIN THE FENCES AND KEEP AWAY INVADERS.

   

  1. THE GREENLINE/ FORMALLY RED LINE

THE DOUBLE FENCE LINE THAT SEPARATES YOUR ZONE (LPZ) FROM THE REST OF ESWATINI SHOULD ALSO CONTINUE TO BE MAINTAINED. THERE SHOULD BE NO ENCROACHMENT TO BOTH FENCES AND THE 10M SPACE SEPARATING THE FENCES. GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN ALL THE FENCES, SINCE SUCH INFRASTRUCTURE BECOMES VERY HANDY IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY. THE GATES MAPHIVENI, LUKHULA AND SIVUNGE, REMAIN FULLY OPEN FOR TRADE IN ANIMALS AND PRODUCTS OF ANIMAL ORIGIN THEREFORE THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO NEED TO CUT THE GREEN LINE. 

  1. DIPPING ATTENDANCE

I AM INFORMED THAT IN THIS ZONE, ANIMALS, INCLUDING CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOATS COME TO THE DIP TANK EVERY WEEK THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.  IN FACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES HAVE ALREADY LAMENTED THIS FACT. THE PURPOSE FOR THIS INTENSIVE INSPECTION AND SURVEILLANCE IS TO ENSURE THAT OCCURRENCE OF FMD IS DIAGNOSED OR DETECTED AND ERADICATED AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. SUCH A STATUS CAN ONLY CHANGE IF OUR NEIGHBOUR WOULD TAKE STEPS TO ERADICATE FMD FROM HER TERRITORY THAT IS IN CONTACT WITH ESWATINI.

  1. STOCK CARDS

TO HELP FARMERS WITH RECORD KEEPING, THE MINISTRY DESIGNED STOCK CARDS. THESE CARDS ARE AFFORDABLE, IN FACT THEY CAN BE PHOTOCOPIED. FARMERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ALWAYS BRING THE STOCK CARDS TO THE DIP TANK FOR UPDATING PURPOSES AND ALSO TO HELP IDENTIFY ANIMALS THAT ARE MISSING OR SICK. THE STOCK CARD ALSO CAPTURES IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE KRAAL IN GENERAL AND ABOUT EACH ANIMAL – WHETHER IT IS BIRTH, DEATH, TRANSFER OR WHATEVER HAPPENS TO THAT ANIMAL.

  1. REPATRIATION OF CATTLE THAT CROSS INTO THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRY

MAY I ALSO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REMIND OUR FARMERS AND OFFICIALS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOWING PROPER CHANNELS WHEN REPATRIATING STOLEN CATTLE. ONCE RECOVERED THE ANIMALS SHOULD BE TAKEN DIRECTLY TO THE QUARANTINE STATION AT MAPHIVENI WHERE THEY ARE KEPT FOR 30 DAYS. DURING THE QUARANTINE PERIOD ALL THE REPATRIATED CATTLE ARE TESTED FOR EXPOSURE TO FMD.  GOVERNMENT ALWAYS STANDS READY TO ASSIST WITH TRANSPORTATION OF THE REPATRIATED CATTLE FROM THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRY DIRECTLY TO THE QUARANTINE STATION.

LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT – COMMERCIALIZATION

  • OUR LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT POLICY ADVOCATES FOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION, WHICH IN SIMPLE TERMS MEANS PRODUCING LIVESTOCK FOR THE PURPOSE OF SELLING TO THE MARKETS TO MAKE MONEY. WE WANT OUR FARMERS TO PRODUCE LIVESTOCK IN THE QUALITY AND NUMBERS REQUIRED BY THE MARKETS AND MAKE MONEY. THE MARKETS ARE OPEN AND INCLUDE BOTH LOCAL AND EXPORT MARKETS.
  • LIVESTOCK FARMERS SHOULD AIM AT MAKING REASONABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY AT LEAST TWENTY THOUSAND EMALANGENI IN A YEAR. FOR A LIVESTOCK FARMER TO BE CONSIDERED SELF-EMPLOYED SHOULD SELL AT LEAST:
  • THREE HERD OF CATTLE AT E 6700-00 EACH
  • TWENTY GOATS AT E1000-00 EACH
  • FOUR HUNDRED INDIGENOUS CHICKENS AT E 50-00 EACH

THESE NUMBERS ARE JUST THE MINIMUM VOLUMES.  

 

THE DIPPING TANK FACILITY

DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, COMING BACK TO THE BEAUTIFUL FACILITY -WE HAVE SEEN A DIPPING FACILITY FOR CATTLE SHEEP AND GOATS ,TOILETS AND A VETERINARY OFFICE AND MORE SO THE WATER SUPPLY. SO I HOPE YOU WILL ALL BE BRINGING YOUR STOCK FOR DIPPING AS THAT IS THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE FACILITY; TO ELIMINATE EXTERNAL PARASITES WHICH INCLUDES TICKS AND WE KNOW THAT TICKS CAUSE DISEASES IN OUR LIVESTOCK. SO IN ORDER FOR OUR LIVESTOCK TO STAY FREE FROM DISEASES WE HAVE TO BRING THEM FOR DIPPING ON DIPPING DAYS.

MAY I NOW TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAL TO EVERYONE IN THE COUNTRY TO REFRAIN FROM STARTING VELD FIRES. ON A DAILY BASIS THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WILD UNCONTROLLED FIRES THAT END UP DESTROYING PROPERTIES WORTH MILLIONS OF EMALANGENI. IN ADDITION, THESE FIRES END UP DESTROYING THE ROOTS AND SEEDS AS IT HAPPENS WHEN THE GRASS IS VERY DRY WHICH GRADUALLY LEADS TO DESERTIFICATION AND LAND DEGRADATION AS THE GRASS WILL NO LONGER GROW IN SUCH AREAS.

BEFORE I CLOSE, MAY I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE DIP TANK COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR THEIR TIRELESS EFFORTS AND THE ROLE THEY PLAYED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS FACILITY, WITHOUT THEIR EFFORTS THIS DAY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A SUCCESS, SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR ENDEAVOURS. CAN WE GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

 HAVING SAID THAT MAY I APPEAL TO THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS FACILITY IS WELL KEPT AND WELL LOOKED AFTER SO THAT IT MAY LAST LONG AND BE USED BY GENERATIONS TO COME.

CONCLUSION

IT IS NOW MY HONOUR AND PRIVILEGE TO DECLARE AND ANNOUNCE THAT LOMAHASHA DIPPING TANK NO.240 IS NOW OFFICIALLY OPENED.

I THANK YOU, MAY GOD BLESS US ALL.

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