Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi says more than 250,000 animals have been affected by the ongoing Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in the province.
Lesufi was briefing the media in Johannesburg alongside Gauteng MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa. He warned that the outbreak could have serious economic consequences, particularly for the livestock sector.
“As of 23 January 2026, the province is actively managing 195 laboratory-confirmed outbreaks. It is estimated that more than 261,000 animals are affected in Gauteng. This crisis has serious consequences for the economy and society at large. It disrupts trade, threatens jobs in the livestock sector, and affects the income of small-scale and community farmers. The stigma that comes with FMD also lowers the value of farmers’ assets,” Lesufi said. The premier explained that the disease was first detected after cattle were unlawfully transported from an infected area.
“The Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreak, which has been unfolding over several months, has reached the level of a nationwide animal health crisis. The Agriculture Ministry is already considering tabling a declaration of a national state of disaster. Infections are now confirmed across numerous provinces, with Gauteng being one of the hardest hit,” he said.
Lesufi added that investigations traced the origin of the Gauteng outbreak back to April 2025 in the West Rand Municipality, where cattle were transported from an infected zone in KwaZulu-Natal for auction.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has unveiled a comprehensive 10-year roadmap aimed at making South Africa free of Foot-and-Mouth Disease by 2036.
