KwaZulu-Natal farmers demand disaster declaration amid FMD outbreak

Livestock farmers in KwaZulu-Natal have asked the government to declare the province a disaster area as a severe foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak continues to cripple the local agricultural sector. As of April 30, 2025, there were 149 active outbreaks in the province. Farmers said they are unable to sell animals due to restrictive movement controls, suffering increasing financial losses. They warned of devastating economic consequences and threats to food security if the government does not intervene immediately. In an interview, Angus Williamson, chairperson of the Red Meat Producers Organisation (RPO), stated that farmers are struggling with debts and resorting to extreme measures to stay afloat. These measures also include illegal livestock movements, which have significantly increased since the start of the outbreak. Williamson criticized the lengthy risk assessment process required for farmers to sell livestock legally, considering it burdensome and irrelevant for FMD prevention. Despite several requests for change, however, authorities have maintained the current system, delaying sales during a critical period for farmers.
The outbreak threatens to derail KwaZulu-Natal’s agricultural sector, which significantly contributes to South Africa’s GDP growth. Farmers also fear a nationwide spread of the disease if containment fails, especially after cases were detected in other provinces such as Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga. Williamson stressed that the red meat industry needs urgent support to maintain production standards, appealing for government intervention to expedite trade without infringing upon FMD containment measures.