The Democratic Alliance in Limpopo welcomes the announcement by Minister John Steenhuisen of government’s National Strategy on the containment of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). In response, we will formally call on the Chairperson of the Limpopo Agricultural and Rural Development Portfolio Committee, Kupa-Mabuza. to convene an urgent meeting to assess the Limpopo provincial government’s response to the FMD crisis to date, and to interrogate its readiness to implement the Minister’s announced strategy.
The DA believes the national strategy provides much-needed clarity at a time of deep uncertainty for farmers and the agricultural value chain. It sets out a clear vision and an actionable roadmap to reverse the worsening national and provincial FMD situation.
We support the Minister’s intention to approach Cabinet to declare the crisis a State of Disaster, as this is essential to unlock a coordinated, government-wide response in partnership with the agricultural sector. A crisis of this scale requires unity of purpose and decisive leadership across all spheres of government.
The DA further welcomes the Minister’s commitments on vaccine procurement and the targeted roll-out of mass vaccination; the strengthening of laboratory and diagnostic capacity; the implementation of a livestock identification and traceability system; and the enforcement of strict movement controls—all of which are critical to restoring disease control and market confidence.
In Limpopo, the immediate priority must now be stabilization and cosolidation: containing outbreaks, enforcing movement controls, deploying targeted vaccination, closing surveillance gaps, and putting effective governance and control systems in place. This is the phase that will determine success or failure. The DA will therefore closely scrutinise whether the provincial administration has the capacity, resources, and operational discipline to fulfil its responsibilities.
As the DA in Limpopo, we must emphasise that this crisis cannot be resolved by government alone. While the state must lead, enforce the law, and coordinate the response, success depends on buy-in, cooperation, and strict compliance across the entire livestock sector. An all-of-society approach is essential if South Africa is to protect its national herd, safeguard livelihoods, and restore its agricultural credibility.
We commend the provincial state veterinarian services for their work in containing the outbreak to only 3 locations in Limpopo. We appreciate the work that is being done by Organised Agriculture and Commodity Organisations in assisting and working the provincial department of Agriculture and Rural Development. We urge role-players to attend the RuVASA workshop that will be held on 20 January 2026.
The DA in Limpopo will play an active oversight role to ensure that this strategy translates into decisive action on the ground in Limpopo. Farmers and communities cannot afford further delays or administrative failures. The provincial administration must now deliver, the sector must comply, and all role-players must act with urgency and discipline to contain this crisis and protect livelihoods, food security, and our provincial and national herd.