Western Cape Government has rolled out a major livestock vaccination drive to protect animals from the escalating Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) crisis, aiming to shield the province’s R13.5 billion livestock sector and thousands of jobs tied to it.
The move underlines growing concern about the disease’s spread and its threat to agricultural livelihoods across South Africa.
On 15 February 2026, the province began vaccinating 450 head of cattle in the Fisantekraal area near Cape Town as part of a 21-point action plan to contain the outbreak.
The campaign was led by Premier Alan Winde alongside national and provincial agricultural officials, including Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen and provincial ministers.
“This vaccination drive is a proactive step to protect cattle in this area,” Premier Winde said. “No cases of FMD have been detected in this Fisantekraal herd. But we are taking every precaution because we want to protect jobs and livelihoods.”
He noted that the province expects to receive 200 000 vaccine doses in the coming weeks and will prioritise inoculating high-risk herds to curb the spread.
Winde also urged tighter controls on livestock movement, calling for a permit system under the Animal Diseases Act.
“We’ve asked that we can now implement our permitting system, so any movement of animals you have to have a full permit system,” he said, stressing the need to halt physical livestock auctions during the outbreak.
Agriculture Minister Steenhuisen described the FMD situation as a national emergency, highlighting the outbreak’s serious implications.
“We are fighting to save the livelihoods of thousands of farmers and the future of our agricultural exports. Biosecurity is not a suggestion – it is our only line of defense,” he said, urging strict adherence to movement permits and hygiene measures.
Premier Winde also emphasised the broader economic stakes of the outbreak. “It’s a huge part of our economy — 50 000 jobs rely on this economy, and then of course, there’s the informal economy… that’s why we are here, making sure that we are protecting the whole economy across the board,” he said, underscoring the far-reaching impact of livestock health on regional stability.
In addition to vaccination and movement controls, the province has set aside R100 million for FMD response efforts, including vaccine procurement, border monitoring, surveillance, and quarantine management. “We are acting swiftly with all stakeholders to get ahead of this outbreak,” Winde said when announcing the funding.
Farmers have welcomed the initiative, with local cattle owner Nikelo Nobethe saying: “We were scared of the diseases that were accumulating, and at the same time, we were not happy as we didn’t have funds to vaccinate our cattle. We are happy with what the government has done.”
The vaccination drive marks a significant escalation in the Western Cape’s response to FMD, as authorities work to protect animal health, safeguard agricultural jobs and maintain market access at a time of heightened risk.
