Foot-and-Mouth Disease Resurfaces in Free State as KZN DMA Boundaries Corrected

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has confirmed a fresh outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) on a commercial farm situated within the Moqhaka Local Municipality in the Free State province. The affected farm falls under the jurisdiction of the Kroonstad State Veterinary area.

According to the department’s statement released on Monday, the outbreak was detected following routine epidemiological investigations and confirmed through positive laboratory results. In response, authorities swiftly placed the farm under quarantine on 8 July 2025 and activated immediate disease control protocols. These included targeted livestock surveillance and emergency vaccination.

As part of containment efforts, a 10-kilometre surveillance zone has been established around the infected property to monitor and assess potential spread. Trace-back investigations are also underway to identify the source of the infection, a standard procedure aimed at understanding and curbing further transmission.

National Situation: 270 Outbreaks Across Five Provinces

The Moqhaka case adds to a growing national tally of 270 confirmed FMD outbreaks across five provinces as of July 2025. The majority of these—249 cases—remain unresolved, under active monitoring or intervention. Only 21 outbreaks have been successfully resolved to date.

KwaZulu-Natal has been the hardest hit, with a staggering 191 outbreaks recorded, 172 of which are still active. This sustained burden reflects both the high concentration of susceptible livestock in the region and the complex challenge of managing FMD in communal and commercial farming systems.

In Gauteng, the situation has deteriorated significantly since May 2025, with 32 outbreaks reported. North West follows with four active outbreaks, while Mpumalanga has recorded three cases. The Eastern Cape has reported 40 outbreaks overall, of which 38 are still active. Notably, there have been no new infections in the Eastern Cape since September 2024, offering a rare glimmer of hope amid otherwise persistent disease trends.

Corrections Issued on KwaZulu-Natal DMA Boundaries

In a separate development, the Department of Agriculture issued a correction to its earlier designation of Disease Management Areas (DMAs) in KwaZulu-Natal. Published in Government Gazette Notice 6396 of 4 July 2025, this new update repeals the previous notice—Gazette Notice 5997 of 17 March 2025—which had erroneously omitted several high-risk areas from the DMA.

The revised DMA now accurately encompasses multiple municipalities and regions in KwaZulu-Natal, which remain under tight biosecurity controls due to ongoing FMD risks. The department issued a public apology for the oversight and called on all stakeholders to take note of the corrected demarcations.

Confirmed DMA Municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal Include:

• Entire Municipal Areas: Big Five Hlabisa, Mtubatuba, Nongoma, Ulundi, Umhlabuyalingana, Jozini, Pongola, Abaqulusi, Umfolozi, uMhlathuze, Mthonjaneni, Nqutu, Nkandla, uMlalazi, and Mandeni.

• Partial Municipalities:

  • Emadlangeni Local Municipality: South of R34 from R33

  • Newcastle Local Municipality: South of R34, east of N11

  • Dannhauser Local Municipality: East of N11 and north of R68

  • Endumeni Local Municipality: North of R68 and east of R33

  • Msinga Local Municipality: East of R33

  • UMvoti Local Municipality: East of R33 up to R74 and north of R74

  • Maphumulo and Ndwedwe Municipalities: Northeast and east of R74, respectively

  • KwaDukuza Local Municipality: Northeast of R74, up to and west of N2

These designations are critical to guiding surveillance, movement controls, and vaccination zones, ensuring that containment strategies are implemented where they are most needed.

Ongoing Challenges and the Way Forward

Foot-and-Mouth Disease poses a major threat to South Africa’s livestock economy, affecting both domestic production and international trade in animals and animal products. With hundreds of outbreaks still open, the agriculture department faces the dual task of containing ongoing spread while preventing new outbreaks.

Farmers, veterinarians, and provincial authorities continue to play a key role in disease reporting, response coordination, and compliance with movement restrictions. The department urges all stakeholders to remain vigilant and cooperate fully with surveillance efforts and quarantine enforcement.

The public is advised to follow all biosecurity protocols, including reporting any sudden illness or lameness in cloven-hoofed animals to veterinary authorities. The government has reiterated its commitment to deploying resources to fight the outbreak and minimise its economic impact on farmers and food security.

As South Africa confronts this expanding veterinary crisis, coordinated efforts between national, provincial, and local agencies—as well as the farming community—remain essential to bringing the FMD situation under control.