Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen and Mpumalanga Agriculture MEC Khethiwe Moeketsi are leading a mass vaccination drive against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Hazyview, Mpumalanga.
The initiative seeks to protect national food security and livestock assets by preventing the spread of a highly contagious viral disease. This effort is critical for maintaining the health of the cattle industry and ensuring the stability of meat supplies.
This campaign marks the seventh nationwide mass rollout against FMD [1]. The government has set a target to vaccinate at least 80% of the national herd by the end of the year [1]. Officials said the drive is intended to achieve a 70% reduction in the risk of future outbreaks [1].
The operation in Hazyview is part of a broader strategy to intensify cattle vaccinations. However, the implementation of the scheme has faced scrutiny. While the government continues its rollout, reports indicate that farmers have called for more immediate action following criticisms from the Gauteng High Court regarding repeated delays in the vaccination scheme's implementation [2].
Despite these legal and administrative challenges, the current drive in Mpumalanga represents the latest attempt by the Ministry of Agriculture to secure the livestock sector. The coordination between national leadership and provincial officials in Mpumalanga is intended to streamline the delivery of vaccines to rural, and commercial farmers alike [1, 2].
“The government has set a target to vaccinate at least 80% of the national herd by the end of the year.”
The push for a high vaccination rate reflects the severe economic risk FMD poses to South Africa's agricultural exports and domestic food chain. While the government is aggressively pursuing a 70% risk reduction, the tension between the Ministry's rollout and the Gauteng High Court's criticism suggests a systemic struggle to balance logistical execution with legal mandates for timely implementation.
