The department of agriculture has said they are pleased with the efforts to control and eradicate foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). They are hopeful that the disease management areas of two provinces, which are still a high risk, will soon be lifted and an urgent order placed for much-needed vaccines valued at R72 million.
According to the department, recognising the seriousness of the FMD threat, minister John Steenhuisen recently escalated control efforts to the deputy director-general (DGG) of agricultural production, biosecurity and natural resources management. The department said the office of the DDG has already engaged with veterinary services and various industry representatives to detail the actions required to curb the threat.
“Funds for the procurement of the vaccine have been transferred to Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP). The procurement process has started, and the next batch of vaccines is estimated to be delivered by mid-June.
“This marks a crucial step forward in the department’s vaccination strategy. The department has provisionally costed the vaccine requirements for the 2025/2026 financial year at R1.2 billion, with each vaccine estimated at R100 per dose,” the department said.
Disease management areas
The lifting of the current disease management areas (DMA) in both the Eastern Cape and Limpopo was imminent. Since 26 July 2024, a DMA has been in place in the Kouga and Kou-Kamma municipalities in the Eastern Cape to control FMD outbreaks.
“Through a robust vaccination campaign, 144 424 vaccinations were successfully administered. With the last cases reported in September 2024 and extensive serological surveillance confirming no undetected pockets of the disease, minister Steenhuisen is now able to confirm that the movement restrictions in the Eastern Cape DMA will be lifted soon.
“Similarly, all restrictions on the DMA in Limpopo will be lifted. This DMA has been in place since September 2022 to control an FMD outbreak in dip tanks in the Vhembe Municipality,” the department explained.
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The minister said two rounds of vaccination saw 23 024 vaccinations administered on cattle at 34 dip tanks, proving highly effective in bringing the outbreak under control.
“These positive developments highlight the effectiveness of our collaborative control measures and the dedication of all stakeholders involved. The department remains vigilant and committed to implementing proactive strategies to safeguard animal health and the agricultural sector.”
New cases detected in Gauteng
Meanwhile, the department said a feedlot and adjacent farm were found positive in the West Rand Municipality of Gauteng.
“Initial information implicated an auction in Heidelberg, however, follow-up epidemiological investigation indicated that there was most likely another source of infection. Veterinary services are testing adjacent premises and linked locations to determine the origin of this outbreak and possible spread.
“In the second half of May 2025, clinical signs of FMD were reported in communal cattle in the East Rand of Gauteng. Samples were collected and FMD infection was confirmed,” the department said.
Steenhuisen emphasised that biosecurity is everybody’s responsibility. The department urged all livestock farmers in the country to limit animal movement as far as possible.
Auctioneers and livestock owners should be vigilant when buying cloven-hoofed animals from provinces in which there are active FMD outbreaks. No cloven-hoofed animals should be accepted from areas under restriction for FMD.
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