Two hundred beehives in the Western Cape are known to be infected with the American Foul Brood disease with about 60 000 bees in each hive.

Hundreds of thousands of South African bees are at risk from the disease which is sweeping through the bee hives.  The only way to rid the bee population of the disease is to burn the infected hives.

The fruit industry in the Western Cape depends on between 30 000 and 40 000 beehives to pollinate their fruit trees.

The disease threatens both the fruit and vegetable farming industry.

John Moodie, chairman of the Bee Industry Organisation said, “It is extremely serious because it is a very contagious disease, not only for honey but for agriculture.  We need to use bees for pollinating fruit trees and vegetable crops.”

This exceptionally contagious spore-forming bacterium has never been seen before in sub-Saharan Africa.  South Africa has no quarantine regulations for insects, however for the past 150 years has managed to avoid the disease.

At present the industry is waiting for assistance from the agricultural department to start burning hives.

Moodie warned the AFP that the disease could spread throughout Southern Africa saying, “New laws have to be promulgated, its taking too much time.  We need logistical inputs, money.  Every day creates a bigger problem. We need those regulations so we can start taking an action.”

By law honey has to be irradiated to destroy spores when it enters the country.  However it is suspected that the disease entered the country through infected honey.