A movement ban has been placed on horses, donkeys, mules and zebras out of Mamre and into the province after an outbreak of African horse sickness in the Western Cape.
The EU has placed a ban on horse exports out of South Africa after the outbreak in the disease-free zone in the Western Cape.
This will severely affect the country’s R10 million-a-month export business as horses are only allowed to be exported from the Western Cape’s free zone and a quarantine station at Kenilworth Race Course.
On Thursday, the Department of Agriculture said they were investigating a possible outbreak of the disease in Mamre, where two horses died.
Last week the department confirmed the deaths of 52 horses in other parts of the country, with 92 confirmed cases of AHS. The numbers have risen with more cases in the Western Cape.
Acting chief director of Veterinary Services Pieter Koen said yesterday: “The three tests we conducted turned out positive. Combined with post mortem results of two horses and clinical science, there is not much doubt it is African Horse Sickness. We are doing a trace back to see how the disease came into the province”.
The EU ban will be lifted when the province is clear of the disease.
Press Release