Eastern Cape veterinary services have detected swine fever at Uitenhage in the Nelson Mandela Metro and about a thousand pigs will be culled this week, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported on Wednesday.
Road blocks have been set up around KwaNobuhle in Uitenhage in an effort to contain it, but this measure does not seem to work as the disease has continued to spread throughout the province over the past seven months.
Owners of the pigs due for culling are not happy about the measures and despite being made aware of the dangers of swine fever, it is believed that owners still slaughter their pigs to eat them.
”We eat them because we are sure there is nothing wrong with them. What makes me say that is because I buy very expensive medicine at R140 and inject my pigs every six months. They will never be ill. Even when I look at them now on their skin they are clean and healthy,” Nomthunzi Tshotsha said.
Residents are also not aware of the compensation they will receive for the culled pigs.
Authorities says capacity problems have made it very hard to contain swine fever in the province. The culling of both infected and uninfected pigs is seen as the best measure thus far, the broadcaster said. – Sapa