The controversial R15,41 monthly disaster and fire services levy introduced by uMngeni Municipality will now be used to help fund interventions to combat the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak affecting the area. In the 2025/2026 financial year, residents have been paying the levy to strengthen the municipality’s disaster management capacity. It was introduced in the wake of the devastating 2024 fires that destroyed hundreds of hectares of farmland, plantations and nature reserves, and claimed the lives of several firefighters in uMngeni.
At a meeting held at the Howick South Hall on Tuesday, the municipality’s executive committee resolved that the funds should also be used to intervene in the spread of FMD, which has left local farmers in urgent need of support. Mayor Chris Pappas said the levy was established to ensure the municipality is better prepared to respond to an increasing number of complex and overlapping crises, without having to scramble for funding during emergencies. He said it was expected to generate between R1,4 million and R1,7 million in the current financial year.
Some residents were unhappy about paying for this additional rate. “Sometimes when we put these plans in place, residents don’t immediately see the long-term benefits,” said Pappas. I’m glad that we did this, because it now allows us to respond when disasters strike.
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The municipality has since convened multi-stakeholder meetings attended by officials from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, veterinary services, police, uMngeni traffic services, disaster management, agriculture and environmental health officials, as well as representatives from farmers’ associations. Pappas said a war room had been established, with stakeholders focusing on controlling animal movement, education and awareness, and preparing for vaccine distribution.
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