South Africa’s Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, says the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease outbreak should be declared a state of disaster to enable stronger measures, including law enforcement support, to control animal movement. Speaking to the media, Steenhuisen says KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Free State and North West provinces have been hardest hit since the country lost its FMD-free status in January 2019.
Nearly two million animals have been vaccinated so far, with the government working alongside local and international partners to secure a steady supply of vaccines. Thami Ngubeni spoke to Dewald Olivier, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Red Meat Industry Services.