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Despite more than 202 confirmed cases of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreaks and the slaughter of 128 925 cattle, the Gauteng Department of Agriculture MEC, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, has not made public a comprehensive and structured action plan to contain the outbreak.

Premier Panyaza Lesufi only highlighted what they intend to do during his State of the Province Address (SOPA) yesterday. There are no published plans or timelines on when strict livestock movement controls, quarantine, and intensified roadblocks to curb illegal transport will be implemented. These are talks with no visible action, which leaves farmers to fend for themselves as this outbreak decimates the industry in the province.

In contrast, the Western Cape Government has already implemented a detailed 21-Point FMD Action Plan covering movement control, surveillance, vaccination logistics, enforcement, contingency planning, and recovery mechanisms. As part of this, a Joint Operations Centre (JOC) has been activated to provide the FMD protocols that have been put in place.

Gauteng needs a multi-point FMD action framework. It has allocated funding for only 90 000 vaccine doses, effectively covering 45 000 animals. Most disturbing is that the Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PMDC) has still not been activated. This means that the province is unable to implement a visible provincial-wide movement enforcement protocol. The province has not yet presented enforcement data on roadblocks, inspections, or prosecutions. However, departmental presentations repeatedly refer to the need to “beef up movement enforcement,” introduce roadblocks, and strengthen tactical control, without activating the very mechanisms required to implement them.

There is no published vaccination schedule or monthly intervention plan in place. Currently, there are only two privately owned FMD abattoirs; the department needs to urgently allocate additional designated FMD abattoirs.

Veterinary members of the Ministerial task team have emphasised the need for a clear monthly plan with adequate resourcing of veterinarians to contain the outbreak.

Gauteng has been aware of FMD outbreaks since early last year, yet MEC Ramakgopa has not presented a consolidated plan to deal with FMD. The Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng urges the MEC and her department to engage with their counterparts in the Western Cape who have successfully put a plan in place that is already in action.

Farmers are carrying the burden of containment. Consumers will carry the burden of higher food prices if this crisis is not managed decisively. The DA will continue to demand that Gauteng matches the urgency, structure and preparedness demonstrated elsewhere in the country. Food security cannot wait.

Issued by Bronwynn Engelbrecht MPL - DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development