Western Cape reaches 82% herd coverage in massive foot-and-mouth disease vaccination drive

The Western Cape has vaccinated over 479,000 animals against foot-and-mouth disease, making it one of South Africa’s largest livestock disease responses amid efforts to safeguard food security and exports.

The Western Cape says it has now administered more than 479,000 foot-and-mouth disease vaccine doses, covering about 82% of the provincial herd, in what officials describe as one of the country’s largest livestock disease response efforts.

According to the provincial government, more than 382,000 primary vaccinations and 97,500 booster shots have been delivered across all districts. The campaign has been driven through a dedicated war room, movement controls, quarantine arrangements, traceability measures and public-awareness work, supported by 103 veterinary professionals and officials and a budget of R152 million.

The response has gathered pace since the first confirmed outbreak near Gouda in November 2025. By February, the province had secured an initial 30,000 doses from the national Department of Agriculture and said it would need far more. In March, it received another 100,000 doses, with vaccination sites spreading across the West Coast, Cape Winelands and Garden Route.

By April, the province had gone a month without a new confirmed case, although officials warned against complacency. Dr Ivan Meyer said the campaign had depended on co-operation between government, farmers, private veterinarians, organised agriculture and municipalities.

The province has also said it is using a permit system and tighter border controls to limit livestock movement as it seeks to protect food security, jobs and export credibility.