Karabo Ngoepe|Published
As Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) continues to spread across Gauteng, political pressure is mounting on the provincial leadership, with calls for stronger coordination across all levels of government to contain the outbreak and protect food security.
The DA has accused Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Agriculture MEC Vuyiswa Ramokgopa of failing to ensure a coordinated response, as farmers face mounting livestock losses and financial strain.
The DA’s Bronwynn Engelbrecht said the absence of structured cooperation between provincial and local government is weakening efforts to contain the disease.
“As Foot-and-Mouth Disease continues to spread across Gauteng, farmers are losing their livestock, which is affecting food security,” Engelbrecht said.
She called on the provincial government to empower municipalities to take a more active role, including enforcing livestock movement controls, supporting roadblocks, and engaging directly with affected communities.
“Municipalities are not bystanders in this crisis,” she said. “Under the Animal Diseases Act, they have a clear duty to prevent the spread of controlled diseases, particularly on municipal and communal land.”
Engelbrecht warned that the current response remains fragmented.
“Without active involvement of municipalities, Gauteng’s response remains fragmented, reactive, and ineffective. This undermines enforcement, weakens communication, and allows the disease to continue spreading unchecked,” she said.
The DA contrasted Gauteng’s approach with that of the Western Cape, where it says local government leaders are playing a more direct role in managing the outbreak.
According to Engelbrecht, district mayors in the province are working alongside law enforcement, enforcing biosecurity measures and participating in coordinated command structures.
By contrast, she stated that there is “no evidence of local government coordinating livestock movement control” in Gauteng, nor is there consistent communication with affected farming communities.
The criticism comes as some municipalities begin to implement relief measures. Midvaal Local Municipality has approved a 10% rebate on property rates for agricultural properties affected by the outbreak, in a move aimed at easing financial pressure on farmers.
In a statement, the municipality said the disease has had a “devastating impact on the agricultural and farming sector, resulting in livestock losses, export restrictions, and significant strain on farmers, with broader implications for economic growth”.
The rebate will be in effect for 12 months and is subject to review, following the declaration of a national state of disaster earlier this year.
Foot-and-Mouth Disease is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, and goats. While it does not pose a direct threat to human health, it has significant economic consequences, particularly for the livestock and export sectors.
South Africa has faced recurring FMD outbreaks over the past decade, with major incidents reported in provinces including Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Free State. These outbreaks have often led to export bans on red meat and livestock products, costing the agricultural sector billions of rand.
The Gauteng Provincial Government rejected the claims and labelled them as misleading. Spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga, said the DA’s claim is patently false as demonstrated by the Special EXCO decision taken on the weekend of January 25, 2026.
He said the meeting directed that CoGTA will facilitate and coordinate intergovernmental relations sessions to keep all municipalities informed and activate their structures.
“Furthermore, it mandated all departments to work with municipalities on a comprehensive communications strategy and ordered operational support from Transport and security cluster, including road blocks and route controls. Far from being bystanders, municipalities are embedded in a coordinated, province-wide response,” he said.
“These allegations are, therefore, not only incorrect but also reflect a troubling level of inconsistency and political opportunism from the DA. It is deeply hypocritical for the party to cast aspersions on provincial coordination while their own national leadership has been actively working in partnership with Gauteng to address this challenge.”
Mhlanga added that the Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, has played a constructive and supportive role in assisting the province.
He said under his leadership, the national department has collaborated closely with Gauteng authorities to facilitate the procurement and distribution of vaccines, as well as to support vaccination campaigns aimed at protecting cattle and limiting the spread of the disease.
This cooperative approach underscores a shared commitment across government spheres to protect the agricultural sector. The Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has, from the onset of the outbreak, implemented a comprehensive and coordinated response plan,” he said.
According to agricultural authorities, controlling the disease depends heavily on strict biosecurity measures, including movement restrictions, quarantine zones, and vaccination programmes. Failures in coordination between national, provincial, and local governments have previously been identified as a key challenge in managing outbreaks.
Communal and peri-urban grazing areas, which are common in Gauteng, are considered high-risk zones due to the difficulty of enforcing movement controls. This places additional responsibility on municipalities to monitor livestock and prevent the spread of infection.
Engelbrecht said the lack of visible municipal involvement in Gauteng is particularly concerning given these risks.
“At a time when farmers are fighting to protect their livelihoods, and consumers face rising food insecurity, cooperation between all spheres of government is not optional but essential,” she said.
Karabo Ngoepe
iol.co.za
