Gauteng steps up fight against Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Gauteng has rolled out an aggressive response to one of South Africa’s worst Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreaks, with more than 261,000 animals affected across the province. Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Agriculture MEC Vuyiswa Ramokgopa have announced a multi-stakeholder plan that includes R16 million in funding, close to 300,000 vaccine doses and strict quarantine controls. The outbreak, traced back to illegal cattle movements from KwaZulu-Natal into the West Rand, has been raging for months and is now sparking calls for a possible national state of disaster. As of 23 January, Gauteng is managing 195 lab-confirmed outbreaks. Phemelo speaks to MEC Ramokgopa on how the province is trying to contain the crisis.