JOHANNESBURG - Allegations of price gouging in the sale of vaccines have hit South Africa’s fight against foot-and-mouth disease.
Onderstepoort Biological Products CEO Jacob Modumo has been suspended pending an investigation into the allegations.
The Southern African Agri Initiative (SAAI) is welcoming the steps taken by the new Agriculture Minister, Willie Aucamp.
“When we complained about it under John Steenhuisen, he accused the farmers’ organisations of spreading misinformation," said SAAI's Theo de Jager.
“When Minister Willie Aucamp got the job, one of the first things he did was settle out of court with our farmers’ organisations, which had fought against the state monopoly on the import, distribution and application of the vaccines.
READ: More vaccines rolled out to fight Foot and Mouth Disease
“But he also vowed that the vaccines would get to farmers as cheaply as possible," he said.
“And this is what led to his investigation into the pricing, especially in intrastate transactions, such as those between OBP and the various provinces.
“It now seems that the price of these vaccines has been highly inflated.”
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