Cape Town – Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen moved to curb the spread of mouth and mouth diseases in KwaZulu-Natal.
“This lack of sufficient action puts farmers’ livelihoods, agricultural industry and the economy at risk, which needs to be stopped.
During their recent visit to Kwazulu-Natal, many farmers and community leaders called for clarification from Minister Steenhuisen about the current situation and expressed concern that the department is not dealing with it effectively.
He revealed that he had requested the Department of Agriculture to urgently pay attention to the action plans and measures necessary to invade the spread spread of foot and mouth diseases in KwaZulu-Natal.
Kwazulu-Natal is working on 147 active foot and mouth outbreaks, and despite continued efforts by the Ministry of Agriculture, new infections have emerged outside the designated disease management area declared in 2021 when the foot and mouth strain outbreak of SAT2 first appeared in the state.
Last month, the minister extended the boundaries of disease control areas and suppressed further spread of the virus.
“The reports we continue to receive from Kyuwazul Natal about the spreading outbreak of persistent and sometimes oral disease diseases,” Minister Steen Heisen said.
“This presents a significant risk that this government sees with serious concern, as it has slow progressed in strengthening our national biosecurity and acquiring critical vaccines.
“I have instructed the department to identify and lift all obstacles that get in the way of timely delivery of vaccines.”
Minister Steenhuise said he instructed the department to see it immediately:
Contact South African Police Services and Road Traffic Management Company to prioritize and assist in the disability and management of disability and animal movements. Prioritizing alternative sites for the sale of tableware meals within disease control areas to provide alternatives to farmers within disease control areas. Procurement and provision of sufficient vaccines to meet the demand for comprehensive vaccine deployments. Explore mechanisms for declaring disaster conditions within the state. Monitors the implementation of the permission system.
Furthermore, the Minister emphasized the order for immediate and substantial enhancement of national biosecurity.
“Current management measures are necessary, but are clearly insufficient to effectively contain these outbreaks,” the minister said.
Legislative requirements under the Animal Diseases Act of 1984 (Act No. 35 of 1984) must be supported by effective government leadership and enforcement to halt spreading of disease.
This includes providing farmers with the support and know-how needed to enhance surveillance, solid enforcement, and implement effective biosecurity.
Update: Eastern Cape
The department reports continuing progress in containment of water and mouth diseases in the Eastern Cape.
Encouraged, no new clinical cases have been observed on the farm since the end of July 2024, and the farms previously confirmed to be positive have been clinically free from the disease since September 2024.
However, recent suspicious results of two characteristics have delayed the lifting of disease control areas.
Of these, one test result returns negatively and the department is waiting for a second result to inform more action.
National Biosecurity and Movement Management
Management measures introduced in October 2022 remain in effect.
Livestock movements across South Africa require health declarations from the owner. Newly introduced cows, sheep, or goats must be isolated from the herd of residents for at least 28 days.
Farmers are highly encouraged to limit the movement of animals and take caution when procuring animals.
Section 11 of the Animal Diseases Act imposes a legal obligation on the animal owner or manager to take all reasonable measures to prevent the animal from becoming infected with the disease and to prevent spreading of the disease from the animal or land to other animals and other characteristics.
Intrinsic biosecurity measures include limiting and/or postponing the introduction of new animals where possible, and, where necessary, introduce known clean farm animals in the health declaration, preventing nose-nose contact of farm animals with animals outside the farm, maintaining safe farm boundaries, and limiting access to people and vehicles where possible.
Report suspected symptoms
The feet and mouth are animal diseases controlled from the perspective of animal disease law.
Suspicious clinical symptoms (salivation, blisters in the mouth, lesions of the legs, or hooves) should be reported immediately to the local veterinarian and such animals should not be moved under any circumstances.
The Act provides for certain control measures, such as isolation and mobility controls, as enforced by veterinary services.
