Gauteng steps up foot-and-mouth disease response, backs local vaccine production

Gauteng Agriculture and Rural Development MEC, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, says South Africa’s recurring Foot-and-Mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks have highlighted the urgent need to rebuild the country’s local vaccine manufacturing capacity.

This comes as the province intensifies efforts to contain the highly contagious disease, following the rollout of the national FMD response plan and the approval of Gauteng’s own provincial strategy.

Briefing the media on Tuesday, Ramokgopa said Gauteng’s response is guided by infection rates, with communal, rural and peri-urban farming areas prioritised to protect uninfected livestock and limit further spread.

She said the highest infection rates have been recorded along the East Rand and in parts of Randfontein, with early signs of spread now emerging in other areas.

Multiple provincial departments have been mobilised to support containment efforts, including including roadblocks, checkpoints and route controls in identified high-risk zones.

More than 286,000 vaccine doses have already been administered across Gauteng. However, the Department of Agriculture has warned that unregulated livestock movement remains one of the biggest threats to containment.

Officials say communal grazing areas and informal livestock trading continue to pose serious challenges, particularly where animals are moved without vaccination or clearance.

Farmers and traders have been urged not to suspend operations, but to ensure livestock are vaccinated, quarantined where required, and transported strictly in line with regulations.

All farms that have tested positive remain under strict quarantine, while investigations into new suspected cases are ongoing.

Ramokgopa has rejected claims that funding is being diverted away from farmers, insisting that veterinary services and disease control remain central to protecting livelihoods and preventing a wider agricultural crisis.

To strengthen cooperation and counter misinformation, the province is ramping up direct engagement with farming communities. This includes establishing a multi-stakeholder consultative forum involving traditional leaders, livestock owners, auctioneers and industry bodies.

Addressing concerns over earlier delays, Ramokgopa said Gauteng only received clarity on the national Foot-and-Mouth Disease strategy just over a week ago, making alignment essential before rolling out provincial interventions.

She said the province has since finalised its response plan, now approved by the provincial executive, allowing containment measures to be accelerated.

While Gauteng remains open to sourcing vaccines locally or internationally in the short term, Ramokgopa stressed the need for a dual-vaccine approach — balancing immediate procurement with long-term self-sufficiency.

The MEC said repeated outbreaks continue to expose weaknesses in South Africa’s animal health system, making local vaccine production a strategic priority.

The department says cooperation across the entire livestock value chain will be critical in curbing the outbreak and safeguarding Gauteng’s agricultural economy.

Gauteng’s Provincial-Wide Response to Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD)

To date:
• An estimated 261,726 animals have been affected.

• 286,857 vaccine doses have been administered, comprising 233,748 primary vaccinations, 46,723 first boosters, and 4,332 second boosters in… pic.twitter.com/aUfUaupuxM

— Gauteng Provincial Gov (@GautengProvince) January 27, 2026

Written by: Lebohang Ndashe