Pretoria: The Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, has appointed Dr Gary Bauer to formally represent the wildlife sector on the Ministerial Task Team overseeing South Africa's response to the current foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak. Bauer brings crucial expertise at a time when the intersection between wildlife, livestock, and disease control has never been more important.
According to South African Government News Agency, the wildlife sector must be fully integrated into the FMD Recovery Plan, as buffaloes play a central role in the epidemiology of this disease in Southern Africa. African buffaloes (Syncerus caffer) are natural, asymptomatic reservoir hosts of all three Southern African Territories (SAT) serotypes of the FMD virus, maintaining and transmitting the virus as the primary source of infection for livestock in the region.
Buffalo herds in red-line districts are persistent carriers of the virus, and once infected, eradication from a herd is impossible. This has significant implications as South Africa hosts over 3,200 registered disease-free buffalo farms, which support tens of thousands of jobs in remote rural areas. These farms significantly contribute billions of rand annually to hunting, tourism, genetic sales, and related services, making the disease-free buffalo industry highly vulnerable to current outbreaks.
Current protocols necessitate the complete culling of a certified disease-free herd upon infection. However, in large reserves with thousands of buffaloes, this approach is practically unworkable and presents enormous logistical, environmental, and economic challenges. Additionally, other wildlife species such as warthog and kudu can act as intermediaries, with factors like poor fencing, shared water points, and intensive feeding practices heightening transmission risks. Therefore, targeted cattle vaccination around buffalo zones, strict biosecurity, and science-based movement control are essential components of the national response.
The Minister's strategy is to vaccinate the national herd in a phased, controlled, and verifiable manner to regain FMD-free status with vaccination from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). The Ministerial Task Team is part of a broader triangular structure, which includes the Department of Agriculture, the Technical and Scientific Task Team, and the FMD Industry Coordination Council, ensuring alignment between policy, veterinary science, and operational execution.
Steenhuisen emphasized the high stakes involved and the potential long-lasting consequences for both livestock and wildlife if the strategy fails. However, he expressed confidence that by remaining disciplined, science-driven, and united, South Africa can restore its status and protect the entire value chain. The task team is currently implementing a decisive, fact-driven blueprint focused on vaccination, regionalisation, traceability, surveillance, and market re-entry readiness.