Agriculture leaders describe the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease outbreak as South Africa’s worst livestock farming disaster, with infections spreading across several provinces and economic losses mounting. Picture Credit: Farmspace
By Aisha Zardad
South Africa — South Africa’s livestock farming sector is experiencing what agricultural leaders are calling the worst livestock farming disaster in the country’s history, as a widespread outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) continues to spread across multiple provinces, threatening both commercial and communal farming operations.
The outbreak, first detected in KwaZulu-Natal in April 2025, has since expanded dramatically, with confirmed cases reported in KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, North West, Limpopo and the Western Cape, according to veterinary experts and reporting to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
Theo de Jager, chairman of the Southern African Agri Initiative (Saai) and Agri All Africa, described the situation as “an unprecedented livestock farming disaster,” warning that the disease’s rapid movement and high contagion levels make it exceptionally difficult to control without wide-scale intervention. “There is very little that farmers can legally do for themselves to combat a state-controlled disease,” De Jager said on 6 January 2026, underlining the severity of the crisis.
Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious viral infection that affects cloven-hooved animals, including cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. The disease leads to painful lesions in the mouth and on the feet, excessive salivation, fever and reduced productivity, prompting quarantine and movement controls to prevent further spread.
The crisis has not only crippled farming activity but has also placed enormous strain on rural economies. Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen confirmed in mid-2025 that the ongoing outbreak had already cost the industry hundreds of millions of rand, impacting national and regional supply chains, livestock exports and associated businesses such as abattoirs and feed producers.
Steenhuisen announced plans for a nationwide vaccination campaign against FMD beginning in February 2026, an unprecedented effort aimed at curbing the spread of the virus and protecting uninfected herds. He said the government will prioritise broader coverage while working with veterinary services to monitor outbreak hotspots.
Despite earlier efforts to contain the disease — including the vaccination of more than 931 000 animals with stock bought from Botswana for approximately R72 million — FMD has continued to break containment lines, spreading into previously unaffected areas and raising concerns about resource adequacy, enforcement and logistical readiness.
Veterinary and agricultural stakeholders expressed concern that the disease’s persistence reflects broader structural challenges in outbreak management, including gaps in traceability, animal movement controls and farmer compliance with existing biosecurity regulations. Experts warn that without strict enforcement and comprehensive surveillance, the risk of ongoing transmission remains high.
The outbreak’s impact extends beyond livestock mortality. Quarantine zones have disrupted livestock movement and sales, leaving farmers unable to sell or transport their animals, resulting in financial losses and, in some cases, the culling of infected animals. Bertus van der Westhuizen, Chairperson of TLU SA Free State, has highlighted the immense financial strain on farmers who are now facing economic hardship as the outbreak persists.
Agriculture sector representatives have repeatedly called for more proactive government support, including expanded compensation for farmers who lose animals to FMD and enhanced state capacity to enforce biosecurity measures. Some commodity groups have even urged formal disaster declaration status to unlock additional resources and enforcement powers.
The broader economic implications are significant. Apart from direct losses to farming operations, the outbreak has raised concerns about export bans imposed by some trading partners, disrupted supply chains, and potential rises in meat prices for consumers. These developments are expected to reverberate across related industries and rural communities that depend on livestock farming for livelihoods and employment.
As South Africa enters 2026, agricultural authorities, veterinary experts and industry leaders remain focused on controlling FMD, boosting vaccination efforts, and stabilising livestock markets. However, with the disease now entrenched in multiple provinces, the road to recovery is expected to be protracted and resource-intensive.
