KZN livestock farmers urge disaster declaration amid Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak

IOL News

04-06-2025

The KwaZulu-Natal livestock farming community has called on the Government to declare KZN a disaster area due to the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD
The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) livestock farming community has called on the government to declare KZN a disaster area due to the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).
Leadership representing pork, dairy, beef, sheep, and game industries in KZN convened this week under the banner of Kwanalu (the KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural Union) to address the outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in the province.
In a joint statement, they called on the government to formally declare FMD a disaster as KZN grapples to contain the spread. 'In 2021, affected areas in the province were declared a Disease Management Area (DMA); the latest resurgence in 2023 has spread beyond this area and necessitated the expansion of the DMA; however, the spread continues outside of these areas.'
As reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health on April 30, 2025, KZN has experienced 167 outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease, of which 18 of these have been closed, with 149 still active.
'Notably, these numbers continue to increase following the 2023 outbreak originating from the Amajuba District. Despite gazetted containment efforts, continued disease spread is largely due to uncontrolled livestock movements, particularly from communal herds. The economic impact is severe and far-reaching, affecting all sectors of the livestock value chain and threatening the viability of commercial and emerging farming operations alike," the statement said.
The delegation is urgently calling on the Minister of Agriculture to support a request to COGTA to have KZNl declared a disaster. This declaration is seen as critical to unlocking funding, resources, and enforcement capacity needed to implement effective control measures before the outbreak spirals into a greater national agricultural and economic crisis.
In response, the KZN Department of Agriculture said on Tuesday that the situation is being managed by the government and there is no need for a disaster area to be called.
The situation is dire.
Sandy La Marque, CEO of Kwanalu, said that the reality is that small- to mid-sized agricultural businesses face closure. 'The situation has eroded confidence in veterinary protocols and exposed systemic enforcement, administrative, management, and other gaps,' La Marque said.
La Marque added that the broader picture is that a larger population of rural and commercial livestock farmers rely on local and international markets to survive.
'If we don't get FMD under control, it will result in businesses closing, increased unemployment, and poverty for the many families that rely on this industry. While the outbreak is currently predominantly concentrated in KZN, livestock industry leaders warn the rest of the country is at risk and that the immediate economic threat should not be taken lightly.'
Angus Williamson, Kwanalu vice president and Red Meat Producers Organisation chairman, said that it's affecting the economics of doing business as farms are quarantined. 'Without effective control strategies, it will become a nationwide issue.'
Williamson asaid they, as organised agriculture, are doing their best to get everything done, from supporting the permit office to appealing for SA Police Service and Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) support and other relevant resources; however, we need more government support.
Fanie Ferreira, the CEO of the Milk Producers Organisation, said, "We need a disaster declaration in order to open up the necessary funding and resources to implement a plan to combat the spread fast; in addition, producers must be allowed to implement a precautionary vaccination plan without penalty."
Government response
Vusi Zuma, Communications Director at KZN Department of Agriculture, said different spheres of government are doing their best to manage the situation.
'We have had meetings with the KZN Department of Agriculture and the KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, and the situation is being managed. We believe that FMD is being spread by buffaloes. However, it must be noted that not all areas in KZN have been affected by FMD. We have increased the Disaster Management Area and we have increased vaccination. At this stage, the government has the situation under control and there is no need to declare a disaster area,' Zuma said.
Zuma said the movement of cattle is not banned. 'What we said is that cattle need to be tested and need to have a permit confirming a negative test for FMD to be moved. If they are positive, they would need to be quarantined. We are stepping up roadblocks with the Department of Transport to ensure that cattle being moved have been tested for FMD. We will charge those moving cattle without negative test results. We urge the private sector to work with us and explore all solutions for FMD and not call for a state of disaster as this is not necessary at this stage.'
Dipepeneneng Serage, Deputy Director-General: Agricultural Production, Biosecurity and Natural Resources Management at the Department of Agriculture, said while they understand the seriousness of the FMD situation in KZN and in Gauteng, they don't think declaring a state of emergency is the solution.
'We have declared/gazetted the DMA which is in itself a state of emergency for livestock and farmers. We need farmers to work with the government to adhere to biosecurity regulations. Additionally, to the DMA, we will be issuing directives regarding the movement of animals in SA.'
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