The African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (AFASA) has issued an urgent appeal to the national and provincial governments to formally declare the mass die-off of cattle in the Fezile Dabi District Municipality a provincial disaster, as the region reels from the devastating impact of a severe cold snap that has already claimed hundreds of livestock across the northern Free State. The association warns that without swift intervention, the losses could escalate further, pushing already vulnerable small-scale and emerging farmers to the brink of ruin.
According to AFASA representatives, the unrelenting cold weather that swept through the district over the past week has proven catastrophic for livestock, with many animals succumbing to hypothermia, starvation, and respiratory complications brought on by freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall. Farmers have reported finding carcasses scattered across frozen pastures, with some losing their entire herds—a body blow to rural economies that depend heavily on cattle farming for both livelihoods and cultural practices.
AFASA Provincial Chairperson Abram Mahlaba has called on the national Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, alongside the Free State provincial government, to activate disaster relief mechanisms, including the provision of emergency feed, veterinary support, and financial compensation for affected farmers. “We are not talking about a few animals—we are talking about the foundation of food security and rural life,” Mahlaba said. “If government does not act now, many farmers will not recover.”
The association has also urged municipalities to assist with the safe disposal of carcasses to prevent disease outbreaks and environmental contamination. The call for a disaster declaration will now be formally submitted to the National Disaster Management Centre, with AFASA expressing hope that the government will respond with the urgency the situation demands. For the farmers of Fezile Dabi, the waiting game has already cost them too much—and every hour of delay deepens the toll.
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