KZN MEC outlines action plan to combat Foot and Mouth disease crisis

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa has given an update on plans of accelerating vaccines for the Foot and Mouth disease outbreak on livestock in KwaZulu-Natal.

The fast-tracking plans for the vaccines come after many farmers expressed that this is affecting their livelihoods financially during the Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) Indaba conference.

An estimated 180 livestock in KZN are affected by the FMD outbreak and it has not been resolved for now, however, MEC KaMadlopha-Mthethwa noted that there are plans in place to accelerate the vaccination of affected animals.

Interventions

• Encourage farmers, speculators, auctioneers, and citizens to adhere to livestock movement restrictions and utilize movement permits when moving animals from the disease management area
• Urge the Agricultural Research Council - Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute to deposit FMD virus sequencing data in the gene bank.

In her keynote speech, she shared that efforts are being made to fast track vaccination in the province and for vaccine availability.

“Since mid 2025, there has been an increase in virus detections on farms and in feedlots outside the DMA in KZN, likely disseminated by auction and speculator sales of illegally moved animals combined with non adherence to the 2022 legally prescribed 28 day isolation of animals post movement and insufficient biosecurity,” she said.

KaMadlopha-Mthethwa expressed the importance of new ideas in achieving FMD-free zonal status in the province and beyond.

“The aim is to adopt new approaches aligned with the World Organisation of Animal Health (WOAH), enabling the province to gradually achieve FMD free zonal status. However, I must caution that this process requires years of cooperation from all stakeholders,” she said.

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