Chairperson, hon Deputy Minister of Agriculture Prof D C du Toit, hon MECs and colleagues, it is a pity that I am speaking in the place of a member who, due to sudden changes that occurred in the scheduling of the Speakers' list, could not make himself available for this debate.
With regard to this important debate, I wish to stress the following, which must be strictly observed within the parameters of the Meat Safety Bill. Firstly, strict rules at all points of entry should be stipulated in order to avoid contaminated meat at all costs. Secondly, foot and mouth disease is a serious threat to the farming industry, hence safety measures have been taken by almost all farmers to combat the spread of the disease.
At the same time, huge losses of stock are affecting farmers seriously, as they will have a very negative impact on food supplies and the export system.
Thina, KwaZulu-Natali, siyakuncoma ukuthi lo mthetho ozokwalusa ukuphathwa kwamadela uyawahlonipha amalungelo amasiko kanye nezinkolo zabantu. Njengokuthi nje, ukuhlabela imishado, imisebenzi yamasiko nezinkolo ezahlukene akuzukuphazanyiswa yilo mthetho.
Abantu bomdabu bayakwazi ukuzicwaningela inyama engalungile. Useshilo omunye umkhulumi wathi iqatha belithathwa linikezwe isilwane, kungaba yinja nom yikati, kubonakale ukuthi akufi yini. Abantu bomdabu bayakwazi ukuzicwaningela inyama engalungile ngaphandle nje-ke uma bephethwe yindlala. Ukudla ingcuba - isilwane esizifele - kuyingozi. Kodwa-ke, umuntu olambile uzama ngakho konke ukuze abone ukuthi iyabulala yini noma cha. Kuthiwa: An empty stomach knows no law. [Isisu esilambile asazi mthetho.] Ingcuba-ke idliwa kanjalo. Yikho beyicwaninga baze bayinike izinja namakati. Basuke befuna ukubona ukuthi bangalandela yini nabo bayidle. [Ubuwelewele.]
Thina, KwaZulu-Natali, siyawuncoma lo mthetho osezithebeni. [Ihlombe.] (Translation of Zulu paragraphs follows.)
[We in KwaZulu-Natal appreciate the fact that the Bill on the administration of butcheries respects traditions and people's beliefs. For instance, the culture of slaughtering a beast on a wedding day and slaughtering a beast for religious purposes will not be affected by this Bill.
Africans can identify unhealthy meat. One speaker has said that a piece of meat was given to an animal, it could be a dog or a cat, so as to see that it did not die. Africans can identify unhealthy meat except if they are hungry. Eating the meat of an animal that has died of natural diseases is dangerous. But a starving person tries all possible means to see if it kills or not. The saying goes: ``An empty stomach knows no law.'' That is why people eat the meat of an animal that has been killed by natural diseases, and that is why they check it first by giving it to cats and dogs. They want to see if it safe for them to eat it. [Interjections.]
[We in KwaZulu-Natal applaud this Bill. [Applause.]]