John Steenhuisen Launches National FMD Vaccination Drive in KZN

Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen will on Friday officially launch South Africa's nationwide mass vaccination rollout against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), starting in KwaZulu-Natal.

The high-priority intervention follows the arrival of one million high-potency FMD vaccine doses from Biogénesis Bagó in Argentina — the largest single consignment of FMD vaccines ever imported into South Africa.

Largest Vaccine Consignment Signals Strategic Shift

According to the Department of Agriculture, the shipment marks the operational "kickstart" of its new 10-Year Strategic Plan aimed at systematically vaccinating the national herd and strengthening biosecurity measures.

Additional millions of vaccine doses have already been procured and are expected to arrive in the coming weeks to support the phased national rollout.

Phased, Risk-Based Vaccination Strategy

The department confirmed that the vaccination campaign will follow a risk-based, phased approach, beginning in high-risk zones before expanding to lower-risk areas.

KwaZulu-Natal has been identified as a priority province due to recent outbreaks and ongoing containment efforts.

The official launch event will take place at Colbourne Dairy Farm near Mooi River in the uMngeni Municipality.

Protecting Livestock and Market Access

FMD poses significant threats to livestock production, trade and rural livelihoods. The mass vaccination campaign is aimed at:

• Containing active outbreaks

• Preventing further spread

• Protecting food security

• Safeguarding export markets

The 10-year strategy signals a long-term shift from reactive containment to sustained disease management and herd immunity.

The rollout in KwaZulu-Natal marks the first phase of what government describes as a coordinated national effort to stabilise the livestock sector and restore confidence in South Africa's animal health systems.