Please note: A previous version of the statement was issued erroneously referring to the MEC for Agriculture as being MEC Ramathuba instead of MEC Kekana
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo fully supports the urgent call by organised agriculture for immediate and decisive action to protect the province from the growing threat of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). We urge MEC Kekana adopt these proposals without delay to ensure Limpopo is safeguarded from the devastating impact of FMD outbreaks.
This follows several deeply concerning developments, including:
- Two confirmed cases adjacent to one another at feedlots in the Waterberg District,
- One confirmed case in rural Vhembe,
- One confirmed case in Alldays at an auction facility, and
- Multiple additional suspected cases now under investigation.
These developments pose a direct threat to the stability of Limpopo’s livestock sector and the broader rural economy. The DA shares the sector’s urgent concern: FMD outbreaks carry enormous economic and trade consequences, destabilising food security, eroding livelihoods, and impacting every link in the agricultural value chain.
Organised agriculture has put forward clear, reasonable, and practical proposals to strengthen Limpopo’s protection measures. The DA strongly urges MEC Ramathuba and her Department to adopt and implement these measures without delay.
Specifically, we support:
- Mandatory veterinary certification for all cloven-hoofed livestock entering Limpopo: No animal should cross into the province – whether inter-provincially or across national borders with Zimbabwe and Mozambique – without a valid veterinary certificate and strict monitoring and control procedures. This measure is essential to maintain traceability and minimise disease risk.
- Harsh penalties for unlawful livestock movement: Illegal livestock movement is not merely a regulatory violation – it undermines farmers, rural communities, and the provincial economy. We therefore support the sector’s proposal for a significant increase in spot fines to act as an effective deterrent.
Limpopo cannot afford complacency. The lessons from previous FMD outbreaks are clear: proactive, swift, and coordinated action is the only effective defence. Delays in monitoring, enforcement, or border control will place thousands of jobs, animals, and livelihoods at risk.
The DA calls on the Limpopo Department of Agriculture to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated “government-wide response” – including the mobilisation of funding and resources to support implementation – and to work closely with organised agriculture and the livestock sector to put these measures into effect immediately.
We will continue to monitor developments closely and will hold the provincial government accountable for ensuring that Limpopo remains protected, prepared, and resilient. The DA remains steadfast in defending the interests of farmers, workers, and rural communities whose livelihoods depend on a stable, disease-free agricultural sector.