John Steenhuisen, Minister of Agriculture, announced the government’s plan to deal with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Parliament today. He also announced the task team that will focus on implementing the plan.
By Alani Janeke, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad
Following the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) indaba held by the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) in Pretoria on 21 and 22 July, it was indicated that the government, in collaboration with the industry, had developed a plan to address the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak.
The indaba recommended a phased, multidisciplinary approach, combining stronger existing controls with the Progressive Control Pathway (PCP) framework. This will be underpinned by legal reform, domestic vaccine production, improved diagnostics, livestock identification systems and collaborative governance.
Immediate actions include scaling up vaccine production, accelerating livestock identification, expanding diagnostic capacity and intensifying awareness campaigns. Medium- to long-term priorities include infrastructure investment, regional cooperation and sustained funding for veterinary services and research.
Research gaps remain, particularly around buffaloes as carriers and Southern African Territories (SAT) strains. Questions such as the feasibility of buffalo vaccination also require further study.
Key minimum measures identified include:
a. Unifying FMD protocols under a national plan.
b. Rebuilding vaccine production capacity and training skilled staff.
c. Deploying rapid tests in the field and reducing lab turnaround times.
d. Expanding animal identification systems to regional benchmarks.
e. Strengthening research on local strains and post-vaccination immunity.
f. Securing sustainable funding across the value chain.
g. Reassessing outdated or unsupported policies, such as fifth quarter disposal.
Industry-Government Task Team Appointed
As Steenhuisen pledged at the indaba, an industry-government task team on animal disease prevention, management and control has now been established.
Government will be represented by:
- Dr Emily Mogajane – Chief Director: Biosecurity Coordination (Chairperson and convener)
- Dr Botlhe Modisane – Chief Director: Animal Health and Production, Department of Agriculture
- Dr Nomsa Mnisi – Director: Biosecurity Support Services, Department of Agriculture
- Dr Themba Sikhakhane – Chief Director: Veterinary Services, KwaZulu-Natal
- Dr Bheki Cele – Chief Director: Veterinary Services, Mpumalanga
- Dr Wynton Rabolao – Director: Veterinary Services, Gauteng
- Dr Baratang Lubisi – Research Team Manager, ARC
- Dr Moses Mabunda – Director: Veterinary Services, Limpopo
- Dr Marietta Swanepoel – Deputy Director: Secretariat Support
- Dr Oseke Ngoveni – State Secretariat Support
Additional provincial veterinarians will be included as required.
The Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS) has nominated the following veterinarians to represent industry:
- Prof. Dietmar Holm – University of Pretoria, Bovine Herd Health (Academic/Beef)
- Dr Dirk Verwoerd – Specialist in infectious diseases of intensive production systems, with emphasis on vaccine development, surveillance, and diagnostics
- Dr Jacque Marais – Dairy industry
- Dr Anthony Davis – Milk processors
- Dr Adriaan Olivier – Ostrich industry
- Dr Amanda Botes – Specialist in FMD and African swine fever (ASF) diagnostics and molecular epidemiology
- Dr Mark Chimes – Dairy, Chairperson of the Brucellosis and Tuberculosis Steering Committee
- Dr Pieter Evans – Specialist in eradication of PRRS and ASF outbreak management
- Dr Shaun Morris – Feedlot specialist
- Dr Baty Dungu – Member of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Scientific Commission, African Union Pan African Veterinary Vaccine Centre (AU PANVAC) Steering Committee, and African Union – InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) expert panel on animal health and disease control
- Dr Danie Odendaal – Ruminant Veterinarian Specialist
- Dr Gerhard Neethling – Export and Abattoir Specialist
- Dr Francois Maree – Specialist in vaccine design, testing, and diagnostics
- Dr Livio Heath – Diagnostics, Epidemiology, and International Trade Relations
This task team will report to the value chain roundtables that consist of all value chain stakeholders.
A Call To Farmers
“Finally, I must stress that compliance with legislation and biosecurity protocols is not optional. Reports of farmers moving cattle showing clinical signs of the disease, or treating them privately without reporting, are deeply concerning and irresponsible. These actions not only contravene legal directives but risk entrenching FMD as endemic in South Africa,” Minister Steenhuisen said.
All livestock farmers are urged to:
- Cooperate fully with veterinary officials.
- Report suspected cases immediately to state veterinarians.
- Refrain from moving animals showing clinical signs.
“Biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility. Only through collective discipline and cooperation can we turn the tide and secure the future of South Africa’s livestock industry.”
