The South African government has introduced a nationwide voluntary vaccination scheme aimed at strengthening control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), a move expected to carry significant implications for neighbouring Zimbabwe and the wider Southern African livestock sector.
The new Routine Vaccination Scheme was published in the Government Gazette on May 4, 2026 under the Animal Diseases Act by Agriculture minister John Steenhuisen.
According to the policy, the scheme seeks to “enable animal owners to mitigate against the impact of FMD by facilitating voluntary vaccination under the oversight of state veterinary services.”
The programme is also intended to “facilitate continued business operations to participants to ensure food security and trade opportunities.”
FMD is one of the most contagious livestock diseases affecting cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, goats, sheep and pigs. Outbreaks often result in livestock movement restrictions, trade disruptions, and heavy economic losses for farmers.
Zimbabwe has experienced repeated FMD outbreaks in recent years, particularly in border districts where animal movement between countries remains difficult to control. South Africa’s intervention is therefore expected to place increased focus on livestock traceability, disease surveillance, and cross-border veterinary cooperation.
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Under the new scheme, all participating livestock owners must ensure animals are permanently identified through branding, tattoos, or ear tags, and registered on a recognised traceability system.
The policy establishes a specialised Committee for Routine FMD Vaccination composed of veterinary experts, government officials, and representatives from the agricultural sector.
Participation remains voluntary, but failure to comply with scheme conditions could result in cancellation of participation certificates after a 14-day corrective period. Vaccine and vaccination costs “shall be borne by the owner,” although government may consider subsidies.
For Zimbabwe, veterinary authorities and livestock producers are likely to closely monitor the scheme’s implementation.
Recently, the governments of Zimbabwe and Botswana launched a joint mass vaccination campaign targeting FMD in Matabeleland South Province. The Matabeleland South Department of Veterinary Services noted that at least 100 000 cattle were to be vaccinated under the bilateral programme, covering the Mangwe, Gwanda, Bulilima, and Matobo districts.
Chief director of veterinary services Pious Makaya praised Botswana for donating 100,000 vaccine doses to support the programme.
Matabeleland South provincial veterinary director Enat Mdlongwa said the vaccination exercise was critical in safeguarding cattle-dependent communities.
“I commend veterinary teams for their unwavering dedication, including working through weekends to ensure the campaign’s success,” Mdlongwa said.
Livestock production remains a major source of income and food security for many rural households in Matabeleland South, where FMD outbreaks have previously disrupted cattle sales, beef exports, and cross-border trade.