HUMANSDORP – Following a stakeholder meeting on 3 February on the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in the Humansdorp area, Kouga Municipality has issued an urgent update.
Kouga Executive Mayor Hattingh Bornman said that the meeting included local farmers, Kouga Municipal officials, representatives from Bhisho, Kouga Wind Farm, the State Veterinarian, Agri Eastern Cape, and the Milk Producers’ Organisation (MPO), among other key stakeholders.
He said that cattle in the Humansdorp area were tested on 31 January, with approximately 40 cattle initially affected.
While official laboratory results are expected by 6 February, Bornman said that based on strong clinical indications and confirmation by the veterinarian on site, all signs at this stage point to the presence of Foot-and-Mouth Disease.
“The affected cattle have been isolated together with approximately 100 additional cattle, meaning that more than 100 cattle may already be impacted,” said Bornman.
“The situation poses an immediate and serious threat to the broader livestock sector in Kouga and the wider region.”
Given the gravity of the situation, Bornman said that six urgent priorities have been identified and will be acted upon without delay:
1) Securing feed supply for affected and isolated animals, with quantities and distribution arrangements to be confirmed at today’s meeting (4 February).
2) Immediate surveillance of communal farms to determine whether any spread of FMD has occurred.
3) Strict control of roaming animals, with law enforcement engaging communal farmers and monitoring hotspot areas.
4) Inspection of fencing bordering high-risk farms, including internal Kouga inspections and assessments linked to wind farm line areas.
5) Drafting of a combined letter of motivation to national government, compiled from all stakeholders into one formal submission.
6) Urgent establishment of sanitation and biosecurity points, with farmers implementing controls at farm entrances and Kouga doing so at strategic municipal locations.
Bornman said that implementation of these priorities, together with any additional actionable measures, will be followed up at today’s meeting.
“Kouga Municipality fully recognises the grave and immediate risk this outbreak poses, not only to animal health, but also to the agricultural economy, food security, and livelihoods across Kouga and the wider region,” said Bornman.
He said that the municipality will do everything within its mandate, together with provincial and national partners, to contain and mitigate this threat swiftly and decisively.
“This will require full cooperation, strict adherence to control measures, and a united effort from every stakeholder involved,” said Bornman.
He said that Kouga remains committed to acting decisively in the interests of all residents and stakeholders during this critical period.
READ MORE: Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in Kouga with reports of livestock deaths
