Mobility
- (a)(i) What role is his Department playing in supporting efforts to curb the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, (ii) what financial costs has his Department incurred to date in relation to these activities and (iii) how many departmental staff members, including traffic officers or other officials, are currently dedicated (full time or part time) to supporting these disease-control efforts and (b) what coordination exists between his Department, agricultural authorities and law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with livestock transport regulations;
- whether any additional mobility-related interventions are planned to mitigate the risk of the spread of the disease while protecting the provincial agricultural economy; if so, what are the relevant details?
- (a) (i) The Department is actively supporting efforts to curb the spread of foot‑and‑mouth disease (FMD) through enforcement of all livestock‑movement regulations under the applicable disaster‑management and veterinary‑control directives. This includes:
- Conducting livestock‑transport inspections at designated roadblocks and control points.
- Verifying movement permits issued by the agricultural authorities.
- Assisting in the monitoring of high‑risk transport routes
(ii) Operational Cost Summary
Overtime: 60 officers deployed across two shifts = 120 officers. 120 × R2 000
= R 240 000
Fuel Costs: 60 vehicles × 100 km per day × R3.80 = R 20 000
Vehicle Utilisation: 60 vehicles × R16 000 per month = R 960 000
Total Estimated Operational Cost: R 1 200 000
Total officials per shift and deployment type are outlined in the table below.
Traffic Centre | Deployment Type | Officials per shift | Rotation |
Beaufort West | Static/Mobile | 6 | 160 hrs Every 6 hrs |
Worcester | Static/Mobile | 4 | 100 hrs Every 6 hrs |
Oudtshoorn | Static/Mobile | 4 | 100 hrs Every 6 hrs |
Laingsburg (Assisting Beaufort West) | Static/Mobile | 2 | 60 hrs Every 6 hrs |
Caledon | Static/Mobile | 4 | 100 hrs Every 6 hrs |
George | Static/Mobile | 4 | 100 hrs Every 6 hrs |
Knysna | Static/Mobile | 4 | 100 hrs Every 6 hrs |
Mossel Bay | Static/Mobile | 6 | 160 hrs Every 6 hrs |
Swellendam | Static/Mobile | 4 | 100 hrs Every 6 hrs |
Brackenfell | Static/Mobile | 8 | 200 hrs Every 6 hrs |
Somerset West | Static/Mobile | 3 (patrol) | 60 hrs Every 6 hrs |
Vredendal | Static/Mobile | 4 | 100 hrs Every 6 hrs |
Vredenburg | Static/Mobile | 6 | 160 hrs Every 6 hrs |
Totals |
| 60 | ±1500 hours |
(iii) The deployment of officers for Foot‑and‑Mouth Disease (FMD) control activities forms part of the Department’s operational costs. Deployment figures are based on the activation of all identified control locations from 6 February 2026 to date, excluding Laingsburg and Somerset West.
- Laingsburg provides support to Beaufort West and does not have a dedicated control‑point location.
- Somerset West conducts patrol spotting operations and stops all vehicles transporting livestock but is not stationed at a fixed point.
(1) (b) The Department maintains ongoing coordination with agricultural authorities and law‑enforcement agencies to ensure adherence to livestock‑transport regulations. This coordination includes:
- Participation in joint planning and operational meetings led by the veterinary services and DRM
- Joint roadblocks and multi‑agency inspection points with SAPS and the Provincial Department of Agriculture; and
- Alignment of enforcement actions with national directives issued by the Department of Agriculture.
(2) The Mobility Department participates in a standing weekly coordination meeting with the Provincial Department of Agriculture, veterinary services, and relevant law‑enforcement agencies. During these meetings, disease‑surveillance updates are provided, and the Department is guided by the agricultural authorities on the prioritisation and placement of roadblocks and other mobility‑control measures. This ensures that enforcement activities are aligned with current veterinary risk assessments and that resources are deployed to the areas where they will have the greatest impact in limiting the spread of the disease.
