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The National Department of Agriculture has rescinded the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) disease management area (DMA) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), aligning the province with South Africa’s national disease control approach.
The decision, gazetted on 15 May, repeals the control measures that have governed livestock movement within a defined zone since March 2025. Industry bodies, including the National Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO), have welcomed the move, citing both practical and economic concerns with the DMA system.
Dr Frikkie Maré, chief executive officer of the National RPO, and RPO KZN chairperson Angus Williamson commented on the implications of the decision. The National RPO represents the commercial red meat sector and has been actively engaged in policy discussions on FMD management.
Separate system removed
The DMA functioned as a high-control zone, restricting the movement of livestock into and out of the area and creating a separate regulatory environment within KZN.
“The DMA in KZN has effectively been scrapped,” Dr Maré said. Under the previous system, producers within the DMA were limited to trading inside the designated area, while those outside retained access to national markets. Removing the DMA eliminates this internal divide, placing all producers under the same national movement control measures.
Rationale behind the decision
Industry representatives have long argued that the DMA was difficult to enforce and failed to achieve its intended disease-control outcomes. Williamson said the system was impractical to manage at scale, given the challenges of controlling livestock movement across such a large and accessible area.
“There was just no way to control such a large area,” he said. He added that organised agriculture, including KZN-based industry bodies, had been calling for the removal of the DMA for several months. Concerns extended beyond logistics, with stakeholders also questioning its effectiveness in limiting the spread of FMD, although this reflects industry opinion rather than a formal evaluation.
Economic impact on producers
The DMA had a significant impact on trading conditions, particularly for producers within and near the controlled area. According to Williamson, restrictions reduced market access and placed downward pressure on livestock prices, with some producers unable to operate under normal commercial conditions.
“All it did was cost the red meat industry millions in lost trade,” he said.
Producers on the edge of the DMA were also affected, as reduced buyer interest influenced cattle prices. In some instances, producers faced prolonged administrative processes to move animals, further limiting their ability to respond to market conditions.
Alignment with national controls
The removal of the DMA, however, does not indicate that FMD is no longer a concern. Disease control measures remain in place across South Africa, and compliance with movement restrictions and biosecurity protocols is still required.
Industry stakeholders note that FMD remains a national challenge, with control efforts extending beyond provincial boundaries.
With the DMA rescinded, KZN now falls fully under the national FMD control framework. Dr Maré indicated that while movement restrictions remain in place across the country, the previous DMA imposed stricter limitations on a specific area.
Implications for the sector
For KZN producers, the decision is expected to improve market access and reduce administrative complexity. Producers previously confined to the DMA will now be able to participate more fully in established value chains, including formal markets and feedlots.
At the same time, the shift places greater reliance on national disease control systems, including movement permits, surveillance, and on-farm biosecurity.
The rescinding of the DMA marks a move toward a unified regulatory approach, while ongoing disease pressure continues to shape how the livestock sector manages FMD risk. – Nikilene Steenkamp, Plaas Media
