The minister of agriculture, land reform and rural development, Thoko Didiza, has confirmed that the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks currently troubling South Africa were caused by the illegal movement of animals from the FMD-controlled zones in Limpopo.
In a statement released by her department minutes ago, Didiza said that a livestock handler was arrested for illegally moving goats. “I am pleased that a 49-year-old male was arrested at Masisi in the Vhembe District of Limpopo for bringing goats from the FMD-controlled zone into the free zone. The law has taken its course.”
Another case in which animals were illegally moved from an FMD-controlled area to auctions in different provinces is being investigated.
“We warn perpetrators who are illegally moving animals that they will be prosecuted for contravention of the Animal Diseases Act (Act No. 35 of 1984),” Didiza added.
Further FMD-infected dip tanks have been identified in the Thulamela District of the province, a previously FMD-free region to the north of the disease management area, which was declared in 2019. The affected area comprises communal grazing land.
Analysis confirmed that the same SAT3 virus was responsible for the outbreaks in the Free State, North West and Gauteng.
The country is currently battling 56 cases of FMD, scattered across farms and communal areas in the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North West and Gauteng.
The department reported that in two separate incidents in April 2022, animals that originated from the vaccinated part of the FMD-protection zone in Limpopo were found at two separate auctions. These auctions were, however, stopped and the premises were placed under quarantine.
Farmers urged to stop illegal movements
Despite South Africa losing its FMD-free-zone status (as recognised by the World Organisation for Animal Health) in 2019, the permanent movement restrictions remain in place in the FMD protection zones in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, minister Didiza cautioned.
It is therefore illegal to move cloven-hoofed animals and their products out of the FMD protection zone without permission from the state veterinary services.
“I call on all citizens of South Africa to stop the illegal movement of animals out of FMD-affected areas. The damages caused by continued FMD outbreaks have a severe, negative impact on the economy of the country, as well as the individual animal owners,” Didiza said.
She added that her department was working hard to resolve the situation as a matter of urgency. The minister emphasised that maximum cooperation from all stakeholders in the sector were necessary to achieve control of the outbreaks.
“It is important that everyone commits and respects all imposed control measures and collectively find a sustainable solution.”
Update in other provinces
Laboratory testing has confirmed an outbreak of FMD between Potchefstroom and Ventersdorp in North West. The department said disease investigations carried out by the North West Provincial Veterinary Services found that the FMD virus had spread to adjacent farms within a 10 km radius.
FMD-positive farms were also detected in Gauteng and the Free State through forward tracing from an auction near Potchefstroom, which took place in March 2022, and from direct sales from infected farms before the infections were detected.
According to the department seven positive farms are currently linked to this outbreak event: five farms in North West, as well as one farm in Gauteng and one farm in the Free State.
In KwaZulu-Natal, a further two FMD-positive dip tanks were found in the Big 5 Hlabisa Municipality and Jozini Municipality.
After the disease had initially seemed to be under control in the disease management area – declared in September 2021 – the subsequent illegal movement of animals led to the disease escaping the disease management area. One case has been the result of a lobola ritual.
A total of 43 dip tanks have become infected since the disease was first diagnosed in May 2021.
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Control measures implemented
The department confirmed that several control measures have been implemented.
“All affected farms, dip tanks and other premises in the five affected provinces were placed under quarantine and no cloven-hoofed animals are allowed to move from these locations.
“There has been no change in the movement restrictions on cloven-hoofed animals, their products and genetic material out of, into, within or through the disease management areas, which are still in effect in KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo,” the department pointed out.
The department said it was aware of companies advertising the sale of FMD vaccines and wishes to make it clear that the sale or use of such vaccines is illegal.
The margins of the two disease management areas are being considered to include the newly affected areas and other areas at high risk owing to uncontrolled mingling of animals.
Furthermore, culling, like all control measures, will be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the practicality, costs, advantage and disadvantage of each scenario.
Meanwhile, FMD vaccination campaigns in Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal are still ongoing in the areas where there is active virus circulation and where the animals are not fenced in to effectively prevent co-mingling.
The use of the FMD vaccine, however, is strictly controlled by state veterinary services and the vaccine is not available for sale to the general public.
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