Warning that the lack of a clear operational plan and limited funding could threaten farmers, food security and the province’s livestock sector.
DA Shadow MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Bronwynn Engelbrecht, said Gauteng currently has more than 230 active FMD outbreaks, with nearly 300 000 animals considered susceptible to infection across affected farms. She said the scale of the crisis was revealed during a recent stakeholder engagement meeting organised by the Gauteng Agriculture and Rural Development portfolio, where the department presented its response to the outbreak.
“More than 230 active Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreaks, nearly 300 000 susceptible animals, and thousands of cattle already slaughtered, yet Gauteng still does not have a clearly communicated operational plan to contain the disease,” Engelbrecht said.
According to the department, the outbreak began in April 2025 in Rand West Municipality and Gauteng has since recorded 233 confirmed outbreaks, with 230 still active. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reported that more than 303 000 vaccine doses have been used since the start of the outbreak, and that an additional 70 000 doses have been allocated to Gauteng.
However, Engelbrecht criticised the department for failing to provide key details about the vaccination rollout. She said the presentation did not include a municipality-by-municipality vaccination schedule, clear vaccination coverage targets, a timeline for reaching herd immunity or a communication plan informing farmers when their livestock will be vaccinated.
Farmers across Gauteng have reportedly raised concerns that they do not know when or whether their livestock will be vaccinated, highlighting what the DA describes as a lack of communication between the department and the farming community. Concerns were also raised about animal movement control after the department acknowledged that the outbreak may have been linked to illegal cattle movement from KwaZulu-Natal through an auction.
“Without measurable enforcement outcomes, it is difficult to determine whether movement control measures are effective,” Engelbrecht added.
The DA also raised concerns about municipal commonage and communal grazing areas after the department reported that 76 outbreaks occurred in communal or peri-urban livestock systems. Engelbrecht said municipalities that own grazing land have responsibilities under the Animal Diseases Act of 1984, to prevent the spread of controlled animal diseases, yet the department did not outline any oversight mechanism to ensure compliance.
Another issue highlighted was the limited number of designated abattoirs available for infected livestock. Gauteng currently has only two FMD abattoirs, forcing some animals to be transported to facilities in other provinces for controlled slaughter, which could increase biosecurity risks.
The DA also criticised the provincial government’s budget allocation for addressing the outbreak. Out of Gauteng’s R179 billion provincial budget, only about R63 million has been allocated to combat Foot-and-Mouth Disease.
“Foot-and-Mouth Disease is not merely a veterinary issue. It is an economic and food security emergency,” Engelbrecht said.
The DA said stronger coordination, improved communication with farmers and a clearer provincial response plan will be necessary to contain the outbreak and limit its impact on the agricultural sector and the province’s food supply.
About The Author
