Leaders in KwaZulu-Natal’s red meat production sector have come out strongly against the continued existence – albeit now largely only on paper – of the disease management area in the province to control foot-and-mouth disease, which spans an estimated 4 million hectares.

By Lloyd Phillips, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad 

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has spread so widely across South Africa in recent months that many animal health experts believe it should officially be declared endemic in the country.

Yet the vast state-legislated FMD disease management area (DMA) in KwaZulu-Natal, which has for years imposed socio-economically crippling restrictions on the many thousands of livestock owners within its boundaries, remains in place on paper.

Ndumiso Gule, a livestock consultant with Gule Agri Consulting a red meat producer himself, works with numerous black livestock owners in KwaZulu-Natal. He says since the DMA was legislated in 2021, the state has been largely ineffective in enforcing its own livestock movement control laws in the area. At the same time, it failed to provide livestock owners inside the DMA with sufficient legal avenues to continue earning an income from their animals. As a result, the continually expanding DMA failed to contain foot-and-mouth disease.

“In my clients’ view, the DMA has for a long time existed only in theory,” Gule says. “Yes, some were able to sell livestock to Sphamandla Maphanga’s feedlot and abattoir, which was within the DMA, before he was murdered late last year. Others were able to trade livestock within the DMA.”

“Most, however, were not legally able to earn an income from their livestock within the DMA. This income is essential for things like paying school and university fees, and other important expenses. So they had no choice but to smuggle animals out of the DMA to sell them. Even now that foot-and-mouth disease is widespread across the country, the DMA still, in theory, prohibits livestock owners within it from moving their animals out.”

Also read: FMD | ‘It’s too late for the police/army. The state is beaten’ – Angus Williamson

Angus Williamson, a livestock farmer and chairperson of the KwaZulu-Natal Red Meat Producers’ Organisation, says the DMA “makes no sense whatsoever” and should simply be scrapped.

He says livestock owners within the DMA who were, or still are, complying with its strict movement controls have either been unable to sell animals or have had no option but to accept unfavourable prices simply because their animals are within the DMA.

“There’s still a stigma attached to all livestock within the DMA.”

Fmd | Calls Mount To Scrap Kzn Disease Management Area — Foot-and-mouth disease has long since escaped the foot-and-mouth disease management area in KwaZulu-Natal. The state failed to effectively enforce livestock movement controls within the area. Map: Department of Agriculture

Both Gule and Williamson say they, along with many other livestock farmers, are deeply aggrieved that despite Minister John Steenhuisen stating last year that FMD samples would be sent to the The Pirbright Institute in the United Kingdom, it appears this has still not been done.

The Pirbright Institute does research and surveillance of viral diseases in livestock, and serves as a global reference laboratory for FMD serotypes. Vaccine manufacturers rely on samples held by the institute to develop vaccines and to access their efficacy. Countries routinely submit samples from their latest outbreaks to keep the library up to date. But the last time South African authorities reportedly submitted samples to Pirbright was in 2011.

South Africa’s Livestock Farmers Are Expected To React Angrily If, On Wednesday, It Emerges That State Animal Health Authorities Have Still Not Submitted Samples From The Country’s Latest Foot-And-Mouth Disease Outbreaks To The Pirbright Institute In The Uk. Photo: Alamy/Pa Images — South Africa’s livestock farmers are expected to react angrily if, on Wednesday, it emerges that state animal health authorities have still not submitted samples from the country’s latest foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks to The Pirbright Institute in the UK. Photo: Alamy/PA Images

‘A Massive Revolt’

Steenhuisen is scheduled to hold a press briefing today Wednesday, 14 January, to provide updates on his department’s planned interventions, including a countrywide vaccination campaign, to bring FMD under control.

Williamson, who now also has FMD in his own herd, says, “I can tell you now that if Steenhuisen says on Wednesday that samples have still not been sent to Pirbright, there is going to be a massive revolt. Farmers have had enough. They have already lost millions [of rands] and they are going to lose millions more. This is over and above the immense emotional, mental and physical strain of managing foot-and-mouth outbreaks in their herds.”

“This excludes the longer-term knock-on impacts of foot-and-mouth disease infections, such as sick animals being unable to breed, significantly reduced conception rates, and increased abortions and resorptions. Top-quality breeding animals are having to be culled. Farmers who have taken out loans based on their average annual production before the spread of foot-and-mouth arrived are going to struggle to repay lenders. Some are already unable to settle their accounts with the co-ops.”

“This could have all been avoided if the decision-makers in government had just listened to organised agriculture [from the start]. We were not trying to be difficult. Heads must roll. There are people whose jobs must be pulled because the current situation is just not acceptable.”

Many Animals With Foot-And-Mouth Disease Experience Severe Symptoms, Including Abortions And Other Issues That Affect Fertility And Productivity, With Financial Consequences For Farmers Likely To Be Felt For Years. Photo: Intelact — Many animals with foot-and-mouth disease experience severe symptoms, including abortions and other issues that affect fertility and productivity, with financial consequences for farmers likely to be felt for years. Photo: Intelact

Gule believes the state should relinquish its long-held tight control over key aspects of managing FMD to the private sector. This should include allowing agricultural retail outlets to stock and sell FMD vaccines, as is already permitted for vaccines against other major livestock diseases. Farmers should also be allowed to include FMD vaccination as part of their livestock operations’ comprehensive vaccination programmes.