News / National
White SA minister blames Zimbabwe for the foot and mouth disease outbreak
17 Mar 2026 at 09:30hrs |
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South Africa's porous border with Zimbabwe and broken veterinary cordon fences, known as redline fences, are aggravating the spread of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Limpopo, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has said.
Minister Steenhuisen led the country's fourth nationwide mass FMD vaccination campaign in Polokwane, following earlier rollouts in Gauteng, Free State, and KwaZulu-Natal. He noted that stray African buffaloes from Zimbabwe and the Kruger National Park are major carriers of the FMD virus.
"Limpopo is one of those provinces that will always require some form of prophylactic vaccination at its interface. It has two major challenges. The first is Zimbabwe, as many of the infections we encounter come from across the border. The second is the border area at Kruger National Park, where buffalo are carriers of FMD. When fences are broken by elephants or other animals, the buffalo escape, leading to cross-contamination with cattle," Steenhuisen explained.
Elephants migrating from Zimbabwe in search of grazing have also contributed to the destruction of fences, allowing disease-carrying animals to mix with livestock in South Africa, creating unique challenges for Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal.
The minister said the government aims to vaccinate over 80% of the national cattle herd by the end of 2026, with large vaccine shipments from Biogenesis and Dolve set to arrive soon. "This will reduce incidents of FMD by around 70%," he added.
Local farmers have welcomed the vaccination drive. Farmer Tommie Van Zyl praised the Nguni cattle for its resilience against FMD. "Without a doubt, the Nguni has been exposed to foot and mouth disease for millennia and because of that, they are more resilient. The symptoms were worse in the Bonsmara crossbreeds than in the Nguni," Van Zyl said, noting that his herd had recovered quickly.
The mass vaccination campaign in Limpopo is now underway, with officials urging farmers to cooperate to ensure wide coverage and curb the spread of FMD in the province.
Minister Steenhuisen led the country's fourth nationwide mass FMD vaccination campaign in Polokwane, following earlier rollouts in Gauteng, Free State, and KwaZulu-Natal. He noted that stray African buffaloes from Zimbabwe and the Kruger National Park are major carriers of the FMD virus.
"Limpopo is one of those provinces that will always require some form of prophylactic vaccination at its interface. It has two major challenges. The first is Zimbabwe, as many of the infections we encounter come from across the border. The second is the border area at Kruger National Park, where buffalo are carriers of FMD. When fences are broken by elephants or other animals, the buffalo escape, leading to cross-contamination with cattle," Steenhuisen explained.
The minister said the government aims to vaccinate over 80% of the national cattle herd by the end of 2026, with large vaccine shipments from Biogenesis and Dolve set to arrive soon. "This will reduce incidents of FMD by around 70%," he added.
Local farmers have welcomed the vaccination drive. Farmer Tommie Van Zyl praised the Nguni cattle for its resilience against FMD. "Without a doubt, the Nguni has been exposed to foot and mouth disease for millennia and because of that, they are more resilient. The symptoms were worse in the Bonsmara crossbreeds than in the Nguni," Van Zyl said, noting that his herd had recovered quickly.
The mass vaccination campaign in Limpopo is now underway, with officials urging farmers to cooperate to ensure wide coverage and curb the spread of FMD in the province.
Source - SABC News
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