The Minister of Agriculture has announced a new vaccination plan to control the spread of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) following outbreaks in several provinces. The department said the plan forms part of government’s response to the disease.
According to the department, the routine vaccination scheme will allow private veterinarians and livestock owners to play a more active role in administering vaccines. The department said the aim is to improve access to vaccines and strengthen disease control measures.
The announcement follows market closures and export restrictions linked to FMD outbreaks. Action SA estimates that the agricultural sector has suffered losses of around R5.6 billion due to these restrictions and disruptions.
Action SA has described the move as “long overdue,” arguing that government responses have been delayed. According to Action SA Head of Parliamentary Research Jacques de Villiers, South Africa has relied on an outbreak-by-outbreak approach rather than a large-scale preventive vaccination strategy.
“This reactive model has allowed repeated flare-ups across multiple provinces rather than interrupting transmission chains early,” he said.
De Villiers said vaccine procurement and supply have lagged behind the spread of the disease, limiting the speed and reach of vaccination efforts.
“Government acknowledged that vaccination was limited by supply and shortage constrained both speed and coverage of rollout efforts,” he said.
He added that the success of the new decentralised framework would depend on how it is implemented.
“The framework needs to be genuinely enabling: one that incorporates private-sector capacity, removes unnecessary bottlenecks, and aligns regulatory processes to facilitate rapid vaccine access and administration,” Mr De Villiers said.
Albert Songo, a small cattle farmer in Hammanskraal, said market closures linked to the outbreaks have affected his ability to sell livestock.
“I am sitting with livestock I cannot sell, but the costs of keeping them do not stop. I still must feed the animals and pay the workers. This disease is really costing us, small farmers,” he said.
Consumers have also raised concerns about food prices. Mpho Molala, a resident of Hammanskraal, said meat prices have increased.
“We are struggling to afford to buy food because prices have increased. We are pleading with the government to do something about this,” she said.
The department said the vaccination programme will be rolled out in coordination with provincial authorities and private veterinarians.