South Africa: Foot-and-Mouth Disease Is Pushing Farmers to the Edge

20 January 2026
Scrolla (Johannesburg)
By Anita Dangazele
  • Farmers report losing livestock and seeing milk production drop by more than 80%, leaving some unable to cover basic farming costs.
  • The government has promised vaccines, but farmers warn delays and poor coordination could worsen financial losses and mental strain.

Farmers in the Eastern Cape say they fear they will not survive the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

The disease affects cattle and other animals with split hooves. It causes painful sores, infections and, in many cases, death.

Farmers say both meat and milk production have taken a severe knock.

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James Miller from the Eastern Cape Red Meat Producers Organisation said stopping the movement of infected animals is critical.

"Foot-and-mouth disease will have a huge economic impact," he said. "It also threatens food security in the province."

The Department of Agriculture has confirmed outbreaks in several villages in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, with unconfirmed cases in other areas.

National agriculture spokesperson Joylene Van Wyk said three vaccines have been approved and will be rolled out in key provinces.

But farmers say help is arriving too slowly.

In KwaZulu-Natal, Angus Williamson from the Red Meat Producers Organisation said some farmers are seeing devastating losses.

"Cows get infected teats and calves die suddenly," he said. "One moment the cow is fine, the next it's dead."

He said there are too few licensed abattoirs to deal with infected animals and accused the government of reacting too late.

Some farmers say their milk production has dropped from about 20 litres per cow to just three.

They have been forced to kill sick animals and take out loans to keep operating.

One farmer described foot-and-mouth disease as "a disease that mentally destroys you".

Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen said vaccines from Argentina, Turkey and Botswana will be delivered soon, and that local production is being set up.

But he admitted it will take time to contain the outbreak.

For many farmers, that time may already be running out.

Read the original article on Scrolla.

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