Note to Editors: Please note Sakhile Mngadi, MPL sound bites in English and isiZulu
- DA welcomes commitment by Minister John Steenhuisen to supply 200 000 Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccines in KZN
- DA remains concerned by lack of leadership shown by MEC and department in KZN regarding the containment of FMD
- The MEC is misleading the KZN public.
The DA in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) welcomes the commitment by Agriculture Minister, John Steenhuisen, to secure 200 000 doses of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine as part of urgent national efforts to curb the spread of the devastating livestock disease.
While this is a vital step in the right direction, the DA remains alarmed by the ongoing failures of the KZN Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), led by MEC Thembeni Madlopha-Mthethwa. Not only have the MEC and her department failed to contain the spread of FMD, they have consistently misled the public on our province’s readiness, response efforts and the true scale of the outbreak.
Over the past year, livestock farmers across KZN have been left in the dark, facing prolonged auction bans, limited veterinary support, and widespread uncertainty. Districts such as Umkhanyakude, Zululand and King Cetshwayo have borne the brunt of these outbreaks, with no consistent communication or support from the provincial department.
According to data from the national Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD), South Africa has faced more than 150 FMD outbreaks since 2022, with KZN among the most heavily affected. The red meat industry has suffered losses exceeding R4 billion annually due to movement restrictions and export bans – losses that disproportionately affect small-scale and emerging farmers in rural KZN.
Despite this, MEC Madlopha-Mthethwa has failed to:
-Provide transparent updates on the number of FMD cases in KZN;
-Roll out a clear, science-based containment and vaccination plan;
-Restore full veterinary service coverage in high-risk districts and;
-Communicate proactively with farmers, industry bodies and the public.
This clear lack of leadership in the province has left farmers vulnerable, undermined disease control efforts and eroded confidence in the department’s ability to safeguard one of our province’s most critical economic sectors.
The DA calls on MEC Madlopha-Mthethwa to immediately:
-Collaborate with national authorities to ensure efficient rollout of the 200 000 vaccines.
-Publish up-to-date and accurate data on outbreak areas and vaccination coverage.
-Establish district-level task teams involving veterinary experts, farmer associations and local authorities and;
-Launch a weekly public briefing system to provide transparency and restore trust.
Foot and Mouth Disease is not only a veterinary challenge – it is a crisis of economic survival for rural communities. The time for denial and inaction is over. KZN deserves a provincial department that is honest, responsive, and fully committed to protecting our farmers.