Potchefstroom
The North West Province is tackling a foot and mouth disease outbreak, with 1.4 million animals testing positive. MEC of Agricultural and Rural Development, Madoda Sambatha, recently announced the province’s vaccination campaign, focusing on high-risk areas like Dr Kenneth Kaunda Region, which includes Potchefstroom and Ventersdorp.
The campaign kicked off at Noyjoins farm near Potchefstroom and will continue across the province, targeting areas with high infection rates. Sambatha urged farmers to cooperate with the government, emphasizing that vaccination is voluntary but crucial in fighting the disease.
The province is working to contain the outbreak, declared a national disaster. Other affected provinces include KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, which will receive vaccine allocations based on their infection rates. The campaign aims to protect livestock and support rural communities
