Staff Reporter
South Africa has taken delivery of a further two million doses of foot-and-mouth disease vaccines from Turkey, bringing the number of imported doses secured since late February to eight million, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen said on Tuesday.
The Department of Agriculture said the latest shipment of Dollvet vaccine formed part of an accelerated procurement drive aimed at containing recurring outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, protecting livestock farmers and strengthening the country’s biosecurity system.
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“With an additional 5 million doses expected to arrive shortly, South Africa’s total imported vaccine volume will rise to 13 million doses. When combined with the 2 million BVI vaccine doses secured last year, the country will have landed 15 million doses by the end of May 2026. This sends a clear signal of our determination to protect the national interest, defend our livestock industry, and win the war against FMD,” Steenhuisen said.
The department said the campaign was part of its strategy to vaccinate 80% of the national herd, estimated at about 14 million cattle, by the end of December 2026.
The vaccination drive is also central to the country’s plan to achieve and maintain “FMD free with vaccination” status, while limiting the economic and social damage caused by outbreaks.
Steenhuisen said the country was also pursuing a regional approach to the disease, saying that national efforts would not succeed unless neighbouring countries acted together.
On Monday, Steenhuisen joined Eswatini Agriculture Minister Mandla Tshawuka and representatives from Mozambique in Hazyview, Mpumalanga, where 300 cattle were vaccinated as part of a demonstration of regional cooperation.
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“One of the clearest lessons from South America is that you cannot defeat this disease in isolation. Cows do not carry passports. If one country acts alone, the risk remains for everyone,” Steenhuisen said.
“That is why we are working closely with our neighbours to build a truly regional response. We must move beyond simply reacting to outbreaks and establish a SADC antigen bank so that Southern Africa can rapidly access vaccines when they are needed most, without relying on lengthy international procurement processes,” Steenhuisen said.
Steenhuisen is expected to chair a meeting of SADC agriculture ministers in Zimbabwe later this month, where discussions will focus on animal movement control, livestock traceability and coordinated responses to transboundary animal diseases.
“We have seen the pain, the uncertainty and the economic damage this disease has inflicted on farming communities across our country. I have made a commitment that if we continue implementing this plan at scale and with urgency, this must be the last major Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak to devastate our people. We are fighting this disease with everything we have, and we stand firmly with our farmers,” he said.
