UNAVAILABILITY OF AGRICULTURAL VACCINES (Minister's Response)

UMPHATHISWA WEZOLIMO, AMAHLATHI KUNYE NEZOKULOBA: Enkosi. Mandibulele ndiye kumbuzo ongamachiza okunyanga izilwanyana. Ebesebenzisa amanxala akowabo nam ndaba amaqhudu asekhaya, kuba ke ebekhethe ukwenza njalo. Umba wamayeza kudala uyingxaki kwezolimo, kodwa kwiintsuku ezimbini ezidlulileyo, ohloniphekileyo u-Annette Steyn ebekhona kwintlanganiso, wayinikwa ingxelo ngoogqirha bezilwanyana, waxelelwa ukuba yintoni esafunekayo nokuba sindawoni na.

Kuba nzima xa abantu besiya entlanganisweni begweqe ezinye iinkampani ezifuna ukungena kurhulumente bengazibeki iingxaki ngohlobo ezilulo. Uyazi mhlophe into yokuba i-Onderstepoort siyayilungisa sixakeke yiyo kuba urhulumente uyikhuphile imali. Kodwa ngelishwa akezi ePalamente kwaye loo nto akayazi. Kwiveki ephelileyo besihlangene siyikomiti sijonga lo mcimbi. Simxelele sonke ukuba akusekudala onke amayeza abe khona. Ukuba ufika ePalamente athi loo nto ayinjalo, hayi ngelishwa ugawula ihlathi elingenamithi. Enkosi ndiyabulela. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)

[The MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES: Thank you. Let me proceed to the question on animal vaccines. I am responding in kind. The question of vaccines has long been a challenge in agriculture, but two days ago hon Annette Steyn was present at the meeting and was given a report on veterinary surgeons. she was told about outstanding issues and the status of the matter.

It becomes difficult when people attend meetings piggybacking on companies that want to do business with government and misrepresent problems. She knows very well that we are busy attending to matters relating to Onderstepoort and that government has provided funding. But unfortunately, she is not aware of this because she is seldom in Parliament. As a committee, we met last week and looked at the matter. We all told her that vaccines will soon be available. If she comes to Parliament and says that is not true, then unfortunately she is engaging in an exercise in futility. Thank you very much.]

Chair, on a point of order: I listened to the interpretation and the Minister said that I was misleading the House. I just want to put it on record that I am not misleading the House. It is a fact that I was stating and the Minister ...

Is that what you got from the interpretation?

Yes. I would like to get ...

Okay, we will follow that up.

Thank you.

Thank you.