Media Statement: : NORTHERN CAPE INTENSIFIES FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE RESPONSE AS PROVINCE RECEIVES ADDITIONAL 50,000 VACCINE DOSES TO STRENGTHEN OUTBREAK CONTAINMENT EFFORTS

MEDIA STATEMENT

TO ALL MEDIA HOUSES

DATE: MONDAY, 25 MAY 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SUBJECT: NORTHERN CAPE INTENSIFIES FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE RESPONSE AS PROVINCE RECEIVES ADDITIONAL 50,000 VACCINE DOSES TO STRENGTHEN OUTBREAK CONTAINMENT EFFORTS

The Northern Cape Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform continues to intensify its response to Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), as part of a coordinated effort to contain the disease, protect the livestock sector, and safeguard rural livelihoods across the Province.

The Province has recorded ten (10) laboratory-confirmed outbreaks and a total of 55 reported cases across various districts and production systems. These include commercial farms, feedlots, emerging farmers and communal livestock systems. The majority of cases have been reported in the Frances Baard and John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipalities, with additional cases identified in Pixley ka Seme and ZF Mgcawu Districts.

In response, the Department has significantly strengthened vaccination and disease control measures across affected and surrounding areas. To date, the Province has received 200,600 vaccine doses, comprising Bioaftogen, Aftodoll and ARC vaccine allocations. This includes an additional 50,000 doses of Aftodoll vaccine received on 20 May 2026, further reinforcing the Province’s capacity to respond decisively.

Currently, 129,410 vaccine doses remain available for deployment, ensuring continued vaccination coverage in high-risk and surrounding farming areas.

To date, the Department has vaccinated 71,190 cattle across eight local municipalities and 382 farms and livestock sites. This includes 50,033 cattle in commercial farming operations, 18,838 cattle in communal farming systems, 2,179 cattle in smallholder farming operations, and 140 dairy cattle.

These interventions demonstrate the Department’s continued commitment to protecting the livestock sector through targeted emergency vaccination, animal tagging and tracing, movement control, quarantine enforcement, surveillance, and awareness campaigns.

On 22 May 2026, the Department held a strategic engagement with private veterinarians to strengthen collaboration in the fight against FMD. During the engagement, the Department committed to supporting surrounding farms through coordinated vaccination efforts and confirmed that vaccines would be provided to private veterinarians for the vaccination of affected farmers at no cost to farmers.

To further improve livestock monitoring and traceability, ten data capturers have been deployed in the John Taolo Gaetsewe and Frances Baard Districts to support the capturing and management of livestock information for the Livestock Identification and Traceability System (LITS).

The Department acknowledges that the emergence of outbreaks within communal areas and additional districts requires continued vigilance, accelerated vaccination, strict enforcement of livestock movement controls, and strengthened biosecurity compliance across the sector.

MEC Lebogang Motlhaping has called on all farmers, livestock owners, private veterinarians, industry bodies, traditional leaders and communities to work together in protecting the Province’s livestock economy.

“This is a fight we must face together. The Department is intensifying vaccination, surveillance and containment measures, but success depends on full cooperation from every farmer and every stakeholder in the livestock value chain. We are encouraged by the collaboration shown by private veterinarians and organised agriculture, and we will continue working side by side to contain and ultimately eradicate this outbreak,” said MEC Motlhaping.

The Department remains committed to containing the outbreak, supporting affected farmers, safeguarding livestock production, protecting rural livelihoods, and preserving the provincial economy.

End

For media inquiries, kindly contact:

Mr Stephen Galane

Media Liaison Officer – Office of the MEC

Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development & Land Reform

Cell: 065 707 9152

Email: [This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.] | (mail to:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)