Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism
With regard to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) detected at a feedlot in Gouda in the Cape Winelands District Municipality:
- (i) To what extent has this disease affected local farmers and (ii) what has been the response of his Department and (b) how does his Department plan to (i) detect, (ii) prevent and (iii) respond effectively to outbreaks of animal diseases in the province, seeing that the shortages in veterinary and scientific posts pose a direct risk to the agricultural economy?
The FMD outbreak detected on 6 November 2025 at a Gouda feedlot was swiftly contained, preventing further spread in the province. While the impact was minimal compared to other provinces, movement restrictions and enhanced biosecurity measures caused operational delays and increased compliance costs for farmers.
(ii) FMD is a state-controlled disease under the Animal Diseases Act (Act 35 of 1984). The Department acted immediately by:
- Quarantining the affected farm;
- Vaccinating, tagging, and branding all 676 cattle;
- Extending monitored quarantine to farms within a 10 km radius and conducting diagnostic tests (all negative); and
- Advising farmers to restrict movement of cloven-hoofed animals, except for slaughter.
(b) (i) | Detective measure include:
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(b) (ii) | Preventative measures include:
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(b) (iii) | Response plans include:
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The Department remains committed to protecting livestock health, supporting farmers, and strengthening disease control systems to safeguard the Western Cape’s agricultural economy.
