Cattle in KZN that are being vaccinated against foot-and-mouth disease.
Image: KZN Department of Agriculture
Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has confirmed the arrival of 1.5 million Dollvet foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines at OR Tambo International Airport, marking a significant boost in the government’s ongoing campaign to secure the national herd.
The consignment, imported from Turkiye and facilitated by authorised agent Dunevax, arrived on Sunday, March 1, 2026. The shipment experienced slight delays due to regional tensions in the Middle East and restrictions in airspace over the Gulf States.
This latest delivery complements the one million doses received from Argentina’s Biogénesis Bagó on February 21. According to the department, the distribution network has responded with “unprecedented speed,” with Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) already dispatching the doses to provincial veterinary teams.
Vaccination efforts are currently well underway across high-risk areas, supported by both state and private sector veterinary teams.
The arrival of the new batch comes on the heels of a direct engagement between Minister Steenhuisen and dairy farmers in the uMngeni Municipal Area on February 27.
During the visit, the minister called for national unity, highlighting that achieving FMD-free status is a collective undertaking that requires total cooperation between farmers and the state.
“The arrival of the Dollvet vaccines today is another win in our war against FMD,” Steenhuisen said. “By leveraging agents like Dunevax, we are proving that the department is willing to work with any partner who can help us protect our national herd. We are focused on action and results, and we will continue to deal decisively with every outbreak until South Africa is FMD-free.”
With millions more doses expected in the coming months, the Department of Agriculture says it remains focused on suppressing viral circulation and will continue to provide updates as the rollout progresses.
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