Lesufi Joins Call for Local FMD Vaccine as Gauteng Outbreak Tops 260,000 Animals

The numbers are staggering, and they’re growing. Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has revealed that the province is actively managing 195 confirmed outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), with an estimated 261,000 animals affected. The crisis, described as having “serious consequences for the economy and society at large,” has pushed the premier to add his voice to a critical demand: South Africa must start making its own FMD vaccines.

The outbreak’s origin traces back to April 2025 in the West Rand, where investigations point to the illegal transport of cattle from an infected zone in KwaZulu-Natal for auction. This single breach has since spiraled into a full-blown provincial emergency, threatening not only commercial livestock but also prized disease-free buffalo populations in reserves like Dinokeng.

A Provincial Fight with National Implications

While the national strategy aims to regain South Africa’s FMD-free statusa designation lost over a decade agoLesufi outlined Gauteng’s urgent, ground-level battle. The province has ramped up containment with roadblocks, checkpoints, and route controls in high-risk areas. But beyond immediate firefighting, Lesufi pointed to a systemic vulnerability.

“Gauteng adds its voice to the urgent need for the development of local vaccine manufacturing capacity in South Africa,” he stated, advocating for a fully resourced Agricultural Research Council to lead the charge. The goal is clear: self-reliance to prevent being held hostage by international supply chains during future health crises.

Private Sector Pressure Mounts

This call for local production coincides with rising pressure from agricultural bodies for a more inclusive fight. Organisations including Sakeliga, the Southern African Agri Initiative, and Free State Agriculture have sent a letter of demand to Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen. They argue that the state’s “centralised monopsony” on procuring and administering vaccines is hindering the response.

The groups want the private sector directly involved, contending that excluding farmers and veterinarians from accessing vaccines through their own channels is worsening one of the “most significant agricultural and animal health crises in recent history.”

The convergence of these two stancesa premier calling for sovereign vaccine production and farmers demanding access to combat toolshighlights a multifaceted crisis. It’s not just a disease outbreak; it’s a test of South Africa’s agricultural biosecurity, its regulatory flexibility, and its long-term commitment to safeguarding the livestock industry that feeds the nation. The race is on to contain the virus on the ground while building the capacity to prevent history from repeating itself.