Thank you, Mr Speaker. The recent outbreak of foot- and-mouth disease in KwaZulu-Natal is directly attributable to infected cattle from Mozambique wandering over into South Africa. This is because of the severely damaged red-line fence, which had protected South African cattle for decades, but is now in such a state of disrepair that cattle may wander freely across the borders.
Over the years, the IFP has continuously called for the repair of the fence and we cannot reconcile ourselves to the provincial department of agriculture's failure to effect such repairs. Besides the dangerous health issues involved with infected cattle crossing our borders, we also have a border that lends itself to the free flow of illegal aliens into our country.
We trust, however, that the hon Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will now prioritise this matter as being of utmost importance on her department's agenda and will immediately set out to repair the said red- line fence in order to stem this flow and any further outbreaks of foot-and- mouth-disease in KwaZulu-Natal. Thank you. [Applause.]