South African (SA) red meat producers, farmers and abattoirs are challenging industry bodies to account for funds meant to curb the spread of foot and mouth disease.
They say they have been paying for prevention efforts for years, yet outbreaks continue, with little transparency on how the funds are being used.
SA is dealing with 274 unresolved outbreaks across five provinces of which 180 are in KwaZulu-Natal Province.
The situation has been made worse by limited vaccine availability.
The lawyer representing the livestock producers says they are following the provisions envisaged in the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act in an attempt to get answers.
Director and head of litigation at VDM, attorney Ann-Suhet Marx, says despite the payment, head of slaughtered cattle levy, the spread of foot and mouth disease continues, market access is collapsing, and red meat prices are soaring.
–SABC–
