South Africa is facing a massive influx of German cockroaches described by experts as near-pandemic.
South Africa is facing a massive influx of German cockroaches described by experts as near-pandemic. They say rainy, hot, and humid conditions over the past two years could have enabled the insects to increase their breeding ability.
Uncollected rubble and rubbish on the streets of South Africa and illegal dumping sites have also contributed to the problem.
Cockroaches are the latest addition to South Africa’s list of troubles topped by power cuts, unemployment, poverty, and lack of housing. The insects popularly known for plying their trade at night are reportedly now operating even daytime.
Gerhard Verdoorn is the Operations and Stewardship Manager at Croplife SA, a crop protection and public health organization. He told the local media that the outbreak is now countrywide.
“I have never seen something like this in my life. Since about February last year we started seeing more and more calls coming in from people with enormous numbers of cockroaches in their kitchens and residences. It’s so bad. If people do a proper fumigation, you see the kitchen littered with a black carpet of dead cockroaches. So, we are at a pandemic outbreak level of cockroaches.”
The intruders have forced residents to tighten security around food stuffs and leftovers by storing them in containers with tight lids. Johannesburg resident Portia Masemola told VOA that the cockroaches have become both a nuisance and embarrassment.
“So you will be sitting with your visitors and here comes one very brave cockroach in the middle of the day that walks up your wall. So, it makes it seem as if your place is dirty or you don’t clean. It just gives that impression. And it’s hard to get rid of them. Once you have one, by the next two, three weeks you have a million.”
Nomthandazo Mhlongo also stays in Johannesburg. She told VOA that the bugs have almost taken over their kitchens.
“Yoo! There are too many like ants and they are irritating a lot. Sometimes you are cooking in the kitchen and as soon as you put a spoon somewhere you're gonna find them there. And sometimes when there are too many you can’t even eat. You can’t even just take food and give it to the child without checking or warming up or something.”
Croplife SA has warned the public to avoid using unregistered chemicals in fumigating their homes as may not only kill the insects, but endanger the health of humans.