DA’s Sakhile Mngadi  Blames KZN Leadership for Delayed Disaster Declaration Amid FMD Crisis

The Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal has intensified its criticism of provincial leadership as the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak continues to spread, placing severe pressure on farmers and rural economies across the province.

Speaking in his capacity as DA KZN Spokesperson on Agriculture and Rural Development, Sakhile Mngadi, MPL, strongly condemned Premier Thami Ntuli for what he described as continued hesitation to declare a Provincial State of Disaster despite escalating infections.

Mngadi said the Premier’s reluctance to act decisively stands in stark contrast to the response at national level, where Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has already classified the outbreak under a National State of Disaster framework.

According to Mngadi, the failure to implement emergency provincial measures is not only delaying critical interventions but also undermining partners within KwaZulu-Natal’s Government of Provincial Unity (GPU), who have repeatedly called for urgent, coordinated action.

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Concerns Over Data and Government Response

Mngadi further criticized the Premier’s office for issuing joint communications with KZN Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Thembeni Madlopha-Mthethwa that allegedly rely on incomplete and questionable data, which he says underrepresents the true scale of infections on the ground.

He warned that farmers across the province are already experiencing the devastating effects of the outbreak, including rising livestock infections, weak enforcement of animal movement controls, and mounting financial losses.

“KZN’s farmers know the horrific reality,” Mngadi said. “Livelihoods are being destroyed while government delays decisive action.”

Urgent Measures Proposed

Mngadi outlined several urgent steps that he believes must be implemented immediately to contain the outbreak:

• Rapid procurement and direct distribution of vaccines to farmers
• Full public transparency on vaccine quantities and delivery timelines
• Strict enforcement and monitoring of animal movement restrictions
• Deployment of law enforcement and technical support teams, including the South African Police Service and the South African National Defence Force, alongside veterinary officials to enforce biosecurity protocols

He stressed that only a Provincial State of Disaster would legally enable emergency procurement processes, accelerate vaccine acquisition, and unlock broader provincial resources.

Call for Decisive Leadership

Mngadi concluded by distancing the DA in KwaZulu-Natal from what he described as “untrue and reckless” claims made by the Premier regarding the severity of the outbreak.

“As a responsible partner within KZN’s Government of Provincial Unity, the DA calls on farmers, stakeholders, and rural communities to unite in demanding decisive leadership before irreversible economic and food security damage occurs,” he said.