Leporung Farmer Faces Charges After Breaching FMD Control Fence

Leporung Farmer Faces Charges After Breaching FMD Control Fence. A farmer in Leporung has lost all 20 of his cattle and now faces possible charges under the Animal Disease Control Act, Chapter 37:01, after illegally cutting a cordon fence to retrieve an animal from South Africa.

The farmer, Mr. Othusitse Tsamaesi, admitted to cutting the fence on Thursday night after receiving reports that one of his cows had crossed into South Africa, where numerous cases of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) had been reported. Despite being aware of strict FMD protocols prohibiting animals from infected areas re-entering Botswana’s green zones, he herded the cow back to his kraal.

“Through numerous kgotla meetings that were held in our village, we were told about the dangers of FMD. I do not know what got into me to do what I did,” Mr. Tsamaesi confessed.

Veterinary officers, alerted by cluster police, tracked the incident and confirmed that Tsamaesi had breached the cordon fence. Acting Principal Veterinary Officer Mr. Montlamedi Keboitse explained that all cattle in Tsamaesi’s kraal were destroyed to prevent potential spread of the disease.

“For violating FMD control measures, Mr. Tsamaesi will be fined, and all his cattle have been destroyed since we do not know the status of the cow brought in from South Africa,” Keboitse said.

He warned that such actions put Zone 11, stretching from southern Botswana to Kuke Gate and Dibete, at risk. A single positive case could result in the entire area being declared a red zone, jeopardizing Botswana’s lucrative European Union beef market.

The worst-case scenario, Keboitse noted, would involve mass culling of cattle in Zone 11, creating challenges for restocking and threatening operations at the Botswana Meat Commission, with potential job losses.

So far, at least 68 cattle belonging to Batswana have been destroyed after being found in red zones. Keboitse added that villagers in Leporung and Phitshane remain habitual perpetrators of such breaches, underscoring the need for stricter compliance.