South Africa has made significant progress in containing and closing the outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) that had plagued the country since 2021, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (Dalrrd) said in a statement yesterday.
Dalrrd spokesperson Reggie Ngcobo said only KwaZulu-Natal and Free State had areas with unresolved outbreaks in the previous FMD free zone.
“All other outbreaks in the previous FMD free zone have been resolved and closed with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). No cases of FMD were reported in the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Western Cape Provinces. These provinces have remained FMD free without vaccination.
“In Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West Provinces, the last outbreaks in the previous FMD free zone were reported more than a year ago, in November 2022. The outbreaks on the affected premises in these provinces were resolved and the outbreaks closed with the WOAH,” Ngcobo said.
Dalrrd said in KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State, there were some farms and areas that were under restriction due to FMD.
“However, some districts of these provinces have not been affected and can also be considered as FMD free areas. There is no blanket prohibition on the export of cloven-hoofed animals or animal products from areas in South Africa that are not under restriction due to FMD. However, the requirements of the importing country must be complied with, and this may exclude some areas listed above,” Ngcobo said.
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