FMD outbreak must be met with seriousness and confidence in our ability to overcome it

Moments of crisis test the capacity of any government. The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) during the peak of the festive season last December was one such moment for the Eastern Cape, and it is a challenge we are meeting with determination and resolve. On December 23 2025, senior officials in my department urgently convened an emergency meeting to brief me about a confirmed case in Keiskammahoek and the rapid spread of cattle showing clinical signs.

It quickly became clear that FMD, which had been successfully contained in 2024/25, had returned. Like many officials, I had to cut my holidays short. I remember that on Christmas Day morning, I had to leave my family to brief the media and inform the public about what was unfolding.

There is no known cure for the virus, and the spread was likely accelerated by increased livestock movement during the festive season. This has placed severe pressure on farming communities, especially in high-density livestock areas. From the beginning, the department responded by intensifying awareness campaigns, strengthening containment measures and deploying veterinary teams and animal health officials to support farmers, investigate cases and roll out vaccination on the ground.

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The outbreak poses a serious threat to livestock, farmers’ livelihoods and the wider rural economy. It affects animal health, trade, production and household income, which is why every step we take now matters. This is why the current outbreak must be met with seriousness, discipline and confidence in our ability to overcome it.

In mid-February, the Eastern Cape provincial government strengthened the response by committing R55m to contain the spread of FMD. This intervention enabled the province to place the necessary orders and meet vaccine procurement requirements, including access to manufacturers in Türkiye and Argentina. It added real weight to the provincial response and strengthened the department’s ability to intensify vaccination, outbreak control and on-the-ground veterinary support.

To date, the Eastern Cape has received 304,600 vaccine doses. This includes 2,600 doses from the Agricultural Research Council; 150,000 doses sourced from Argentina and 152,000 doses of the Dolvet vaccine from Türkiye. The first batch of 150,000 doses has already been fully utilised in line with a risk-based vaccination strategy, giving further momentum to the province’s response.

Beyond this, the province has placed orders amounting to approximately 1.05 million doses, which will further strengthen protection as the vaccination campaign expands. This approach has prioritised hotspot areas, border municipalities, dairy operations and herds near game reserves with free FMD buffalo populations, ensuring that available doses are directed where the risk is highest and the protective impact is greatest.

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