South Africa’s Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) response has entered a phase of urgency and coordination, with government committing to fully fund vaccinations for the national herd and distributing doses to every province.

The goal is to vaccinate 80% of the national herd by December 2026, a target that will require 28-million doses over the next 12 months.

 

Government Fully Funds Vaccination of the National Herd

The Department of Agriculture has confirmed that the state will cover the full cost of FMD vaccinations for all livestock owners.

This decision follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s February State of the Nation Address, where he formally declared FMD a National Disaster.

The classification unlocks emergency funding and enables accelerated procurement, deployment, and surveillance activities.

 

Vaccine Supply Strengthens as New Consignments Arrive

South Africa has secured significant vaccine volumes from international manufacturers, including 1-million doses from Biogénesis Bagó in Argentina. A further 1.5 million doses arrived from Dollvet, Turkey on 1 March.

A further 5-million multivalent doses are expected from Biogénesis on 15 March.

All provinces have now received vaccine allocations. State and private veterinarians will jointly administer doses to speed up coverage, particularly in high‑risk zones.

 

Why Dairy Cattle Are Being Prioritised

Dairy cows are first in line for vaccination due to their high movement frequency, intensive management systems, and the severe economic impact of production losses if herds become infected.

According to the Daily Maverick, dairy operations face heightened vulnerability because animals are moved more often for milking, feed supply and veterinary care, which increases transmission risk.

Protecting dairy herds is therefore essential for both biosecurity and national food security.

 

KZN Remains the Epicentre, Free State Among Hardest Hit

KwaZulu‑Natal continues to record the highest concentration of cases. The Free State is also severely affected, with both SAT 1 and SAT 2 strains circulating.

These strains are endemic to southern Africa and require precise vaccine matching to ensure immunity.

Minister John Steenhuisen, alongside Ms. Elzabe Rockman, MEC for the Free State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, addressed members of the media during the FMD Vaccination Drive at a farm near Bloemfontein.

This engagement is part of the government’s initiative-taking and direct response to controlling Foot and Mouth Disease, with the objectives of protecting farmers’ livelihoods, improving herd health, and ensuring national food security.

 

How FMD Vaccines Work and Why Strain Matching Matters

FMD vaccines contain inactivated virus particles that stimulate an immune response without causing disease. Because FMD has multiple serotypes and subtypes, immunity is highly strain specific.

South Africa’s vaccination strategy is built around matching vaccines to the SAT serotypes currently circulating in the country. Using the wrong strain can leave animals unprotected and may even complicate surveillance data, which is why illegal or unregistered vaccines pose a serious threat.

 

Gauteng’s Four‑Pillar Response and Real‑Time Geo-mapping

At a media briefing on 26 February, Gauteng MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, reported that the province had recorded 228 confirmed cases, affecting 297,413 animals across communal, dairy and commercial farms.

She outlined Gauteng’s four‑pillar response: contain, enforce, vaccinate, communicate.

A full provincial vaccination rollout began the same day, supported by 70,000 doses from the national stock received on 21 February.

Ramokgopa also announced the development of a live geo-map platform that will provide farmers and the public with real‑time outbreak and vaccination data.

 

Beware of Scammers Exploiting Farmer Demand

According to council member Dr Mpho Olivier, opportunists in KwaZulu‑Natal have approached farmers requesting deposits of around R700 to “reserve” vaccine doses.

Social media posts advertising private access to vaccines have also been reported. These cases have been escalated to the Department of Agriculture and the ministerial task team.

Farmers are advised to remain vigilant against fraudulent vaccine schemes and consult only verified news channels and authorised vaccine administration sources for information.

 

Minister Steenhuisen Addresses Misinformation and Illegal Vaccines

Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen has moved to counter misinformation about vaccine procurement and availability. He emphasised that vaccines cannot simply be made freely available without oversight.

Steenhuisen explained that vaccination must be accompanied by data collection, surveillance, registration, and movement controls. Without these systems, South Africa could spend billions of Rands with no improvement in its international FMD status.

The Minister also confirmed that illegal vaccines have entered the country. A consignment of Kenyan FMD vaccine was intercepted in KwaZulu‑Natal in December 2025.

The Kenyan strain is not present in South Africa, meaning its use could undermine the national vaccination strategy entirely.

 

 

Apply for Vaccination Authorisation

Farmers can access the official FMD vaccination application form here.

 

Further Reading and Credible Sources

A comprehensive investigation into the outbreak, vaccine procurement and systemic challenges is available at News24’s special project page.