Government interventions to curb Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) have reached communal farmers in Magagula Heights in the East Rand, Gauteng.
On Saturday, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen and Gauteng MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, spearheaded continuing efforts to roll out the FMD vaccine campaign.
Ramokgopa said the rollout of vaccination in Magagula Heights was significant in the work being done to curb the disease, which is a highly contagious viral illness affecting cloven-hoofed animals.
“This particular site, Magagula Heights, is a site of communal farming. It is the location where we had our first (FMD) outbreak in Gauteng in April 2025. It’s important we are able to return here to assist communal farmers, who are farming in the area… There is important information sharing that we are able to do on site today, which is important in helping us to curb FMD in the province.”
The vaccination campaign is part of government’s robust, multi-pronged strategy to protect the national livestock herd and ensure food security.
Steenhuisen said the advice, suggestions and feedback emanating from Gauteng province has been very helpful in the development of the national response to FMD.
“We aim to vaccinate 80% of the national herd by December and reduce the outbreaks by 70%. This new strategy will put South Africa onto the path of becoming a ‘FMD-free with vaccination country’, which will mean that we can start to open up international markets for South African red meat products, which have been closed…
“We can only do this mass vaccination process in partnership with the provinces, the private sector, private veterinarians and animal health technicians. We’re all helping to ensure we vaccinate as many animals as quickly as possible, so we can reach the targets we have set ourselves.”
The Minister said Biogénesis Bagó, a FMD vaccine from Argentina, was used in the Magagula Heights vaccination drive.
“We’re using the Biogénesis Bagó vaccine today… and it’s a powerful vaccine that has had good results around KwaZulu-Natal and other areas. It’s part of the batch of one million vaccines that arrived last week. We have another one and a half one million [vaccines] coming in from a company called Dollvet. It’s… being prepared for distribution to the provinces.”
Vaccine funding and distribution
Steenhuisen used the opportunity to set the record straight about vaccine payments, warning against misinformation circulating in the sector.
“The State has budgeted for the payment of vaccines and those payments are processed according to the PFMA [Public Finance Management Act] and I can assure the country and suppliers that we have the money, and we will pay for the vaccines and ensure we have a steady flow of vaccines,” Steenhuisen said.
He clarified that it would not be in the interest of the country to not pay for vaccines, as that would cut off their supply.
“In doing so, we have to follow the prescripts of the PFMA and the guidance from the Auditor-General to ensure that this takes place.”
Steenhuisen assured farmers that their cattle are safe and that they will remain theirs, despite them being vaccinated.
“I can confirm that we have taken delivery of the Dollvet vaccine. It will be delivered this week into the field.”
The Department of Agriculture said: “This successful importation of Dollvet FMD vaccines from Turkey, facilitated by Dunevax Biotech as the authorised agent, highlights government’s decisive partnership with the private sector to secure a reliable pipeline of high-potency vaccines in South Africa’s fight against FMD.”
The vaccines will be distributed as follows: Eastern Cape will receive 152 000 vaccines, Free State 195 000, Gauteng 213 000, KwaZulu-Natal 560 000, Mpumalanga 95 000, North West 50 000, Northern Cape 35 000, Limpopo 25 000 and the Western Cape 100 000. – SAnews.gov.za
