South Africa's ongoing battle with foot-and-mouth disease is set to escalate to Cabinet level, with Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen confirming plans to seek a formal disaster declaration to strengthen the national response.
Speaking on Wednesday, 25 January 2026, Steenhuisen laid out a long-term approach to managing the outbreak, saying decisive action was needed to protect livestock and repair the country's standing in global agricultural markets. He told the nation he would present a proposal at the next Cabinet meeting to have the outbreak officially declared a state of disaster.
Steenhuisen acknowledged the pressure farmers have been under since South Africa lost its foot-and-mouth disease-free status in 2019, describing the situation as one of the most difficult periods the sector has faced. He said appeals for assistance had come from across the farming spectrum, with both commercial and communal producers struggling to cope with repeated outbreaks.
