Hanlie du Plessis
Hanlie du Plessis, a freelance journalist and content strategist, has over twenty years of experience in agricultural media. Her passion is bringing editorial projects from concept to final print, digital, or broadcast format. This stems from her strong sectoral roots, which centre around farmers, their stories, and their animals.
Government’s vaccination timeline under scrutiny over second Dollvet permit
Government’s commitments to foot-and-mouth disease vaccine supply are ambitious, but a remark by Department of Agriculture Director-General Mooketsa Ramasodi after last week’s engagement with farmers in KwaZulu-Natal raises questions about whether the system can meet Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen’s rollout timeline.
KZN dairy farmers question Steenhuisen over FMD response
Tensions were high in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands on 27 February as dairy farmers questioned Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen over government’s response to the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak during the launch of the province’s mass vaccination rollout.
Gauteng scales up FMD vaccination as cases climb to 228
Gauteng’s battle against foot-and-mouth disease has entered what provincial authorities describe as its ‘most decisive phase’, with a scaled-up vaccination programme launched on 26 February as the number of confirmed cases continues to rise.
Dairy processors, producers unite against ‘disproportionate’ FMD rules
South Africa’s dairy industry has warned that inconsistent and non-standardised foot-and-mouth disease controls are placing it under mounting strain, despite scientific consensus that properly processed dairy products are safe for human consumption.
Wandile Sihlobo appointed Presidential Envoy on agriculture and land
President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Wandile Sihlobo as Presidential Envoy on Agriculture and Land, where he will support government efforts in land reform, rural development and agricultural trade.
First one million FMD vaccine doses land in SA
South Africa marked a significant milestone in its fight against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) on 21 February when the first one million doses of high-potency vaccine arrived at OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, Gauteng.
Macadamia industry at export crossroads with hard lessons ahead
South Africa’s macadamia industry is at a turning point. After a decade of rapid growth and high prices, the sector is now entering a period of consolidation, tighter margins and increased structural risk, particularly concerning the growing export of unshelled nuts to Asia.
Three reasons for hope in the wake of FMD crisis
As foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) continues to wreak havoc on South African livestock farms, disrupting auctions, halting exports and placing enormous financial strain on producers, three significant developments this week are offering a measure of hope to an embattled industry.
Steenhuisen: ‘FMD is not under control but we have a plan to break its...
South Africa’s escalating foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak is “certainly not under control”, Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen told Farmer’s Weekly in an interview on Thursday, but he insists a decisive vaccination strategy, tighter biosecurity, and stronger public-private coordination will turn the tide.
FMD crisis: Zambia closes borders to South African livestock
Zambia has suspended all imports of livestock and related animal products from South Africa with immediate effect, citing biosecurity concerns over the country’s escalating foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak.
National FMD disaster: coordination breakthrough or centralisation risk?
South Africa’s escalating foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak has now been formally classified as a national disaster under Section 23 of the Disaster Management Act (No. 57 of 2002).
Bitter end looms for Tongaat Hulett as rescue efforts collapse
The long-running business rescue of Tongaat Hulett Limited has reached a decisive turning point, with joint business rescue practitioners (BRPs) applying to the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court to discontinue rescue proceedings and place the 134-year-old sugar producer into provisional liquidation.
Does the FMD Industry Coordination Council actually have a voice?
Many in the agriculture sector welcomed Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen’s 21 January announcement of the formation of a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) Industry Coordination Council. The body enables farmer organisations to join a three-way partnership aimed at strengthening and supporting the national FMD response.
Kuruman farm under quarantine with confirmed FMD case
A foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in the Kuruman district of the Northern Cape has now been officially confirmed, marking a significant development in the ongoing national crisis.
FMD in SA: no cloven-hoofed animals at Nampo 2026
Organisers of South Africa’s largest agricultural exhibition have confirmed that no cloven-hoofed animals will be exhibited at the 2026 Nampo Harvest Day, scheduled for 12 to 15 May at Nampo Park in Bothaville in the Free State.
FMD vaccine rollout criticised as industry questions years of inaction
Government has hailed the Agricultural Research Council’s release of South Africa’s first locally produced foot-and-mouth disease vaccine on 6 February as a milestone, but industry experts say it is overdue and overlooks earlier opportunities to curb the escalating outbreak.
‘Wage hike puts more pressure on agriculture’ – farmers’ organisations
Agricultural organisations across the sector have warned that South Africa’s latest national minimum wage increase risks intensifying financial pressure on farmers already grappling with disease outbreaks, rising input costs, and weak economic growth.
FMD vaccine urgency grows amid state procurement contradictions
South Africa’s worsening foot-and-mouth disease crisis highlights the urgent need to rapidly secure and distribute as many effective vaccines as possible to protect the national herd and stabilise an industry already under severe strain.
Drop in fuel prices brings welcome relief to farmers
The latest official fuel price adjustments published by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) show that petrol prices have fallen by around 65c/ℓ, while diesel prices have declined by between 50c and 57c/ℓ, depending on grade.
Experts step in to guide farmers through FMD crisis
As South Africa’s foot-and-mouth disease outbreak escalates into what experts are calling an unprecedented livestock crisis, scientists, veterinarians, and agriculture specialists have formally stepped in to give farmers practical, science-based guidance while the country awaits the vaccine rollout.
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