More must be done to fight foot and mouth disease in KZN: Steenhuisen

Agriculture minister John Steenhuisen says his department must urgently attend to the action plans and steps needed to ensure the spread of foot and mouth disease (FMD) is curbed in KwaZulu-Natal.

During a recent visit to the province, many farmers and community leaders sought clarification from Steenhuisen on the situation and expressed concerns that the department was not effectively addressing it.

“This lack of sufficient action is jeopardising farmers’ livelihoods, the agricultural industry, and the economy. This needs to stop immediately,” said Steenhuisen.

KwaZulu-Natal has been grappling with 147 active FMD outbreaks and despite ongoing efforts by the department, new infections emerged outside designated disease management areas (DMA) that were declared in 2021 when outbreaks of the SAT2 FMD strain first emerged in the province.

To curb the further spread of the virus, the minister extended the boundaries of the DMA.

Steenhuisen said the reports regarding the expanding outbreaks were of great concern.

“This, with the slow progress in strengthening our national biosecurity and acquiring vital vaccines, presents significant risks that this government views with serious concern.

“I have directed the department to identify and lift every single impediment standing in the way of vaccines being delivered in a timely manner,” Steenhuisen said.

In addition, he has instructed the department to see that the police and the Road Traffic Management Corporation are engaged to prioritise and assist with roadblocks and the management of animals’ movements.

The department must also ensure the procurement and provision of enough vaccines to meet demand for a comprehensive vaccine rollout.

Steenhuisen asked the department to explore mechanisms to declare a state of disaster within the province, stressing  the imperative for immediate and significant enhancements to national biosecurity.

“The current control measures, while necessary, are clearly insufficient to contain these outbreaks effectively. The legislative requirement under the Animal Diseases Act for owners to stop the spread of disease must be supported by effective government leadership and enforcement.”

He said this included intensified surveillance, firm enforcement and providing farmers with the support and know-how they needed to implement effective biosecurity.

Meanwhile, the department reported continued progress in the containment of FMD in the Eastern Cape.

It said no new clinical cases had been observed on farms since the end of July 2024 and farms previously confirmed as positive had remained clinically free of the disease since September 2024.

However, the lifting of the DMA restrictions had been delayed due to recent suspect results on two properties. Of these, one test result has returned negative and the department awaits the outcome of the second to inform further action.

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