The Ministry of Agriculture has confirmed a new outbreak of foot and claw disease (FMD) on a commercial farm in the local municipality of Moqhaka, within the Veterinary of Kroonstad State in Free State.
The outbreak was identified after epidemiological examination and confirmed positive laboratory results.
The Department said that the affected real estate was placed under quarantine on July 8, 2025 and that immediate control measures were implemented, including supervision and vaccination of the cattle.
“Trace-back activities are underway to determine the source of the infection, while farms in the surrounding radius of 10 km undergo supervision to determine the possible size of the spread,” the Department said in a statement on Monday.
More than 250 FMD cases reported in five provinces
From July 2025, South Africa has included a total of 270 FMD outbreaks in five provinces. Of these, 249 breaks up remain unsolved, while 21 were declared resolved.
“KwaZulu-Natal is the most affected province, with 191 reported outbreaks, of which 172 remain active and 19 have been resolved. Since May 2025, Gauteng has reported 32 outbreaks, Northwest has four open outbraken, while Mpumalanga has reported three outbreaks,” the department said.
The Eastern Cape has registered 40 outbreaks, with 38 still open and two resolved. Since September 2024, no new cases have been reported in Eastern Cape.
Correction on KZN Disease Management Area Notification
In the meantime, the Ministry has issued a correction in a Gazette notification of the government (Gazette Nursing 6396 of 4 July 2025), which withdraws the previous notification (Gazette Nursing 5997 of 17 March 2025).
The Department acknowledged that certain areas that still fall under the designation of Disease Management Area (DMA) in Kwazulu-Natal have been wrongly omitted.
“We sincerely apologize for every confusion that is caused and ask all stakeholders to take note of the following areas that are explained to be part of the Kwazulu-Natal DMA,” the department said.
The municipalities that are confirmed to stay within the DMA are the entire Big Five Hlabisa; Mtubatuba; Nongoma; Ulundi; Umhlabuyaleringana; Jozini; Pongola; Abaqulusi; Umfolozi; Umhlathuze; Mthonjaneni; Nqutu; Nkandla; Umlalazi; and Moreni.
Other areas are the part of the local municipality of Emadlangeni, south of R34 of R33; Newcastle local municipality, south of R34 to east of N11; Dannhauser local municipality east of N11 and north of R68; Endumeni local municipality, north of R68 and east of R33; Msinga local municipality, east of R33; Umvoti local municipality, east of the R33 to R74 and north of R74; Maphumulo local municipality, northeast of the R74; Ndwedwe local municipality, east of the R74; As well as part of the local municipality of Kwadukuza, northeast of R74 to the N2 and the west to the N2 to the local municipality of Mandeni. – Sanews.gov.za
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