KwaZulu-Natal Government Strengthens Response to Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak

The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Premier, Honourable Thamsanqa Ntuli, and the Cabinet have acknowledged the challenges posed by the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in the province while commending the efforts of the MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Honourable Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa, in combating the spread. The Cabinet meeting was held at the Moses Mabhida Building in the provincial capital, following reports indicating that the disease has now affected all districts, including recent incidents in Ugu and Harry Gwala.

Cabinet is set to announce interventions to strengthen the FMD vaccination drive, which will complement the national department’s mass vaccination strategy. Vaccines will be made accessible starting February, delivered in phases to cover approximately 80 to 90 percent of KwaZulu-Natal’s total cattle population. This initiative forms part of the national department’s 10-year strategic vaccination plan aimed at eradicating FMD nationally, arriving at a critical moment as KwaZulu-Natal has become the epicentre of the outbreak. To date, 207 FMD outbreaks have been recorded in the province, placing it in a high-risk category and threatening livestock production, exports, and food security.

MEC kaMadlopha-Mthethwa highlighted that vaccination is a key tool in containing the outbreak and safeguarding the livestock sector. Since the first outbreak in Mtubatuba in May 2021, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) has implemented control measures and vaccinated approximately 800 000 cattle. “Our veterinarians are actively on the ground working closely with farmers to manage and contain this disease. The demand for FMD vaccines is extremely high, and farmers have experienced challenges in accessing them. We are pleased to announce that a province-wide vaccination rollout will commence in February,” said the MEC.

The rollout will cover feedlots, dairy farms, commercial farms, and communal farming areas. Details on dates and locations will be communicated soon. KwaZulu-Natal will serve as the starting point of the national livestock vaccination programme, and all livestock owners are urged to cooperate fully with veterinary officials during the campaign.

DARD initially contained FMD to the northern parts of the province through four control measures: surveillance, movement control, vaccination, and community engagement. Surveillance has successfully tracked positive cases using GPS technology, with over 19 000 animals sampled and tested across the province as of December 2025. Stakeholder engagement has been a priority, with key milestones including the FMD Consultative Indaba held in Durban in October 2025, which brought together representatives from the Milk Producers Organisation, Milk SA, pharmaceutical companies, universities, livestock associations, the Red Meat Industry Organisation, SAPO, and private sector partners. Resolutions from the Indaba are now being implemented and monitored.

DARD continues to collaborate with industry stakeholders, including the Meat Producers Organisation, through technical forums aimed at sharing information and coordinating interventions to control the disease. Provincial leadership, led by the Premier and Members of the Executive Council, will spearhead a public awareness campaign to educate communities about FMD and the importance of complying with control measures. Details of the campaign, including dates and locations, will be communicated to the public in due course.