The Western Cape government has escalated its response to the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak, setting aside R100m for vaccine procurement and introducing tighter controls on animal movement as part of an intensified provincial containment strategy.
Premier Alan Winde announced the measures at a media briefing held at the Provincial Disaster Management Centre on Sunday, where he said the provincial cabinet had endorsed a more aggressive, co-ordinated response to ensure the outbreak remains contained within the province.
Winde said agriculture is a critical pillar of the Western Cape economy, contributing about R13.5bn in output and supporting thousands of jobs across the dairy, livestock, game and export sectors. While FMD poses no risk to humans, he warned that uncontrolled spread would have severe consequences for farming livelihoods, food security and trade.
The province has activated disaster-management structures, including the deployment of veterinary services, law enforcement and traffic officials, and the establishment of roadblocks in affected areas. Winde confirmed that R100m would be appropriated from contingency funding to support vaccine procurement, while the province seeks approval to participate directly in national procurement processes.
Ivan Meyer, Western Cape minister of agriculture, economic development & tourism, said the detection of new clinical signs of FMD late last week required swift intervention. He outlined a 21-point action plan focused on movement control, surveillance and monitoring, regulatory enforcement, recovery planning and public communication.
“All movement of cattle, sheep and goats must be accompanied by the required documentation, including origin and destination declarations confirming a 28-day isolation period,” Meyer said, adding that failure to comply constitutes an offence under animal health legislation.
All movement of cattle, sheep and goats must be accompanied by the required documentation, including origin and destination declarations confirming a 28-day isolation period.
— Ivan Meyer, Western Cape minister of agriculture, economic development & tourism
Provincial veterinary authorities confirmed that infected properties, along with all farms with cloven-hoofed animals within a 10km radius, have been placed under quarantine. Surveillance teams are conducting daily field inspections, targeted sampling and epidemiological tracing, while traffic officers are being trained to verify permits at roadblocks and weighbridges.
Director of animal health Noluvuyo Magadla said frozen meat may continue to be transported if animals were slaughtered under approved abattoir conditions but warned that the unauthorised movement of live animals remains one of the highest-risk transmission pathways.
The Western Cape escalation comes amid intensified national efforts to secure vaccine supply and strengthen scientific oversight, though a national state of disaster has not yet been declared.
Last week agriculture minister John Steenhuisen announced the resumption of local FMD vaccine production for the first time in more than 20 years, after the successful manufacture of an initial 12,900 doses by the Agricultural Research Council at Onderstepoort. The vaccines were produced using modern bioreactor technology after extensive strain identification and biosafety upgrades.
The national department has confirmed that a memorandum proposing the declaration of a national state of disaster has been finalised and will be tabled in cabinet. If approved, this would unlock emergency funding for mass vaccination across affected provinces.
In the interim, vaccine supply is being supplemented through state-controlled imports, including doses from the Botswana Vaccine Institute and international manufacturers, as local production scales up. National authorities have stressed that regaining South Africa’s FMD-free status from the World Organisation for Animal Health will require at least 12 months with no virus transmission, supported by documented vaccination coverage, strict movement controls and centralised surveillance.
Western Cape officials said provincial measures would remain in place regardless of the timing of any national declaration, warning that premature relaxation could undermine containment efforts and threaten agricultural exports.
Tara Roos
www.businessday.co.za