Only full compliance with the stringent measures already enforced will help curb the spread of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in the Northern KZN area where there have been 165 reported cases.
Eighteen of these cases have been closed with 147 still active, according to the Department of Agriculture.
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Ministry spokesperson, Joylene Van Wyk, said full compliance could result in a noticeable reduction of viral load after 28 days.
Van Wyk said signs of continued virus activity persist in an enlarged Disease Management Area (DMA), which includes much of Northern KZN and was declared on March 17, where strict measures are in place to control and prevent the spread of the FMD.
The Ministry also confirmed a new outbreak has been in Bergville, which is outside the recently declared DMA.
“Traceback suggests the infection originated from within the extended DMA boundaries before the declaration was made,” Van Wyk said, adding that two additional suspect cases outside the DMA are under investigation and all these locations have been quarantined.
According to Van Wyk, surveillance and vaccination efforts are being intensified within affected zones and a 10 km radius around infected locations.
“A meeting was recently held with key stakeholders to finalise the Movement Control Protocol for the DMA, now accessible via the Department’s and KZN Agriculture’s official platforms.”
According to a report published by IOL, Dewald Olivier, the CEO at Red Meat Industry Services, said that the FMD outbreak in KwaZulu-Natal was serious.
Olivier said that the continued spread threatens market access for South African red meat products, particularly in export markets that require strict biosecurity measures. Both commercial and emerging farmers are threatened by the continued spread.
He said the country’s red meat exports depended on maintaining FMD-free zones, adding that further outbreaks could lead to export bans, negatively impacting trade with key international partners.
Van Wyk said in light of the encouraging results from ongoing surveillance, the Department is now able to introduce targeted relief measures for farmers within the DMA whose herds have consistently tested negative and have not received FMD vaccinations.
She said these farms will now be permitted to process milk for local consumption through single pasteurisation, instead of the previously mandated double pasteurisation or UHT treatment.
“Additionally, such farms will no longer be required to conduct 28-day interval testing to qualify for direct slaughter. These measures are intended to ease the economic burden on compliant farmers. Eligible farm owners are urged to contact their local State Veterinarian to apply for the necessary exemptions.”
“Farmers are strongly advised to limit animal movements and exercise caution when procuring animals. Section 11 of the Animal Diseases Act imposes a legal duty on any owner or manager of animals to take all reasonable steps to prevent their animals from becoming infected with any disease and to prevent the spread of any disease from their animals or land to other animals or other properties.”
In the Newcastle area, efforts to control the outbreak were stepped up when Operation Sukuma Sakhe led a FMD vaccination drive at the Johnstone Dip-tank drive.
The campaign was led by KZN Agricultural MEC, Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa, who encouraged farmers to halt the movement of cattle to help stop the spread of the disease.
For the protocol click here: 2025 KZN FMD DMA Movement Control Protocol revised 280325
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