The announcement follows a provincial briefing on 20 February 2026 by Premier Alan Winde and Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism Minister Dr Ivan Meyer, outlining measures to curb the national outbreak in the province.
So far, 30,000 vaccine doses have been allocated to the Western Cape by the national Department of Agriculture. The province’s response will now include a suite of additional interventions:
• Introduction of a permitting system to control livestock movement;
• Registration of private veterinarians to support the vaccination drive;
• Accreditation of the Western Cape Provincial Veterinary Laboratory for FMD testing;
• Deployment of additional veterinary technicians; and
• Establishment of a “War Room” by the Department of Agriculture to coordinate containment efforts.
These actions form part of a broader 21-point plan that also covers monitoring, surveillance, traceability, enforcement of protocols, and recovery operations such as cleaning and quarantine management.
Premier Winde said: "We are fighting to protect the livelihoods of thousands of farmers, to secure jobs and the future of our agricultural exports. This is a collective responsibility, and we need every livestock owner to stand with us. Biosecurity is our first and only line of defence.
"Moving animals without permits or neglecting basic hygiene protocols puts the entire province and country at risk. I urge all residents to work with us to fully contain the spread of FMD: stop the illegal movement of cattle, report any signs of illness immediately, and safeguard your farm boundaries. We will continue to push for provinces to procure their own vaccines."
The public, particularly the agricultural sector, can contact the WCDoA FMD hotline at 080 928 4102 (Press 1 for FMD) for guidance and reporting.
