South African (SA) President Cyril Ramaphosa says the outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease has wreaked havoc across SA’s agricultural sector.
He described it as one of the most damaging crises the country’s cattle industry has ever faced.
His remarks align with recent national reports confirming that the disease has spread throughout all nine provinces, prompting government to classify it as a national disaster due to its severe economic and food security impacts.
Ramaphosa delivered a keynote address at the Annual Official Opening of the National House of Traditional and Khoi‑San Leaders in Parliament, Cape Town, Western Cape Province.
He reiterated government’s commitment to restoring stability in the livestock sector, announcing a mass vaccination campaign, targeting the country’s entire herd of 14 million cattle.
According to the President, this vaccination rollout will include communal and small-scale farmers, ensuring that disease control measures reach all affected farming communities.
The national plan requires an estimated 28 million vaccine doses and will be centrally coordinated to guarantee the correct strain-specific formulation.
–SABC–
