MBABANE (3 June 2025): The Ministry of Agriculture has thrown a ring of foot and mouth disease (FMD) checkpoints on the exit points around Lavumisa and Hluthi, the epicentre of the disease to prevent its spread.
Checkpoints on the road have
The export of raw meat from cattle, goat, sheep or pork is now banned. So is milk and cattle feed.
Director of Veterinary Services Dr. Roland Dlamini has told Today that the ministry finalized a concrete strategy for the FMD response which is however still going through national protocol processes.
“For now we can only say that our FMD response strategy involves a intricate combination of strict isolation which involves quarantine of the infected areas, vaccination and culling.”
“In 2001, when the country last suffered an FMD attack, infected cattle were killed. However, livestock that had been in contact with but tested free of the disease were not killed,” Dr Dlamini said.
FMD is a disease that kills trade. Once a country reports FMD infections, it is obliged to inform neighbouring countries and the international community. Consequently, other countries immediately stop trading in livestock and livestock products with that country. “On the same day Eswatini declared the FMD emergency, South Africa communicated to us that they have suspended beef imports from Eswatini until the outbreak is controlled. Mozambique imposed a similar a measure.”
Ironically both Mozambique and South Africa are grappling with their own outbreaks of the disease. Sikhwebezi where the disease outbreak was first spotted is on the South African side of the border near Pongola which has been grappling with foot and mouth since 2021. The disease continues to spread in some parts of that country despite government control efforts. KwaZulu Natal province has been most heavily affected, with repeated new detections, including as recently as late February 2025.
South Africa is an important supplier of beef and dairy products for the Eswatini market. Since the South Africa outbreak the cost of beef and milk has shot up. Domestic suppliers struggling to meet demand have increased prices exponentially. The price of pure quality unblended emasi such as Ingula that is produced by Tibiyo at their Dalcrue farms has increased from E20 per litre to E32.00 per litre.
The Food and Agriculture Organization says FMD continues to be prevalent in Mozambique. For almost a century now, Eswatini has maintained a cattle cordon fence at the top of the Lubombo escarpment with permanent checkpoint on the road approaching the country from Mozambique to prevent livestock and people from East of the cordon fence bringing raw meat into the rest of the country.
Efforts to prevent cross border infections
FMD hits Eswatini only 7 months after efforts to build a cordon fence to prevent the disease crossing from KwaZulu Natal into the Kingdom stalled after funding ran out. Veterinarians say Foot and mouth is rarely fatal, except in the case of very young animals, which may die without showing any symptoms. Exceptionally, a severe form of the disease may cause sudden deaths among older stock. “The disease however does not affect people,” said Dr. Dlamini.
FMD is dealing a hard blow to the country’s economy as beef exports is one of its main foreign exchange earners. Cattle is the main livelihood for Lavumisa. Periodic cyclic heatwaves render crop production risky. Drought spells are common. Yet Lavumisa has some of the most nutritious grass, predominantly ‘lubabe’ that is excellent for development of beef cattle.
“We tried to contain the outbreak to prevent it crossing the road. Unfortunately, it was subsequently reported at Qomintaba in Lavumisa,” Dr Dlamini told Today.
“So far only 5 dip tanks have been confirmed with the disease, but we continue to be vigilant and are checking more dip tanks,” he said.
The outbreak means that livestock, including cattle, goats, sheep and pigs in the designated areas in the South Eastern Shiselweni region are restricted from leaving the area and no stock removal permits will be issued until the crisis is ended. The ministry said in a statement that livestock products including meat and milk as well as feed will not be allowed to leave the area.
The FMD crisis began after a Vet team that responded to a report of a foot and mouth disease (FMD) suspect animal. Inspection of livestock in the area subsequently found two animals limping with suspicious lesions. Four other animals were reported by farmers to also be limping from the same dip-tank.
Neighbours and markets informed
The suspected FMD case was reported to the Director of Veterinary Services in accordance to legislation who commissioned an investigative team on the 13th May 2025. Further investigation which included mouthing of cattle at Sikhwebezi (762) Dip-tank revealed 4 animals with FMD suspicious lesions on the hooves, tongue and gums in five kraals. Visual inspections on all other kraals in the area subsequently found more than 20 animals were limping. 8 blood samples and 2 tissue samples were collected from this dipping tank investigation on the day.
Following the initial epidemiological analysis of the situation all the dip-tanks under Hluthi Sub-region were immediately put under quarantine (standstill) which was extended to include all Lavumisa diptanks and some Nhlangano Diptanks (those adjacent to Hluti sub region). Samples were tested at the local laboratory using NSP ELISA and tested 5 positive. Samples were also sent to Ondesterpoort Veterinary Institute (WOAH FMD reference laboratory) in South Africa for confirmation. The samples also tested positive on PCR and on serology using NSP.
Since confirmation of the outbreak, all dipping tanks under the Hluti, Lavumisa and Nhlangano (partially) Veterinary Subregions were immediately put under quarantine. No permits and animal movement beyond the dipping tank area is allowed.
Cabinet and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), SADC, AU-IBAR, Neighbouring Countries, and EU were duly notified.
The areas affected are expected to be declared Guard Areas and Scheduled Areas while intensive investigations to rapidly define guard areas and schedule areas forbiosecurity enforcement.
Dr. Dlamini said a vaccination drive of all cattle in the FMD Guard and FMD Scheduled Areas will soon be conducted and all vaccinated animals to be marked with hot iron brand mark.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister yesterday announced that Government has allocated E40 million to support efforts to eliminate FMD.
The money which is being released through the National Disaster Management Authority, will support the operationalization of checkpoints and fund the cattle vaccination.
Jm/today/3.06.2025
