Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, has appointed veterinarian, Dr Gary Bauer, to represent the wildlife sector on the Ministerial Task Team overseeing South Africa’s response to the current foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak.
This comes after the South African Veterinary Association (SAVA) Wildlife Group, which represents 153 qualified wildlife veterinarians nationwide, nominated Dr Bauer to bring his expertise to the team.
The Ministry said African buffaloes (Syncerus caffer) are the natural, asymptomatic reservoir hosts of all three Southern African Territories (SAT) serotypes of the FMD virus. They maintain and transmit the virus and remain the primary source of infection for livestock in Southern Africa.
“Buffalo herds in red-line districts remain persistent carriers and, once a herd is infected, the virus cannot be eradicated from that herd. The implications are profound,” the ministry said.
South Africa has more than 3 200 registered disease-free buffalo farms, supporting tens of thousands of jobs in remote rural areas and contributing billions of rands annually to hunting, tourism, genetic sales and related services. The disease-free buffalo industry is, therefore, highly vulnerable to the current outbreaks.
“Where infection occurs in a certified disease-free herd, current protocols require the complete culling of the herd. In large reserves, spanning tens of thousands of hectares, with thousands of buffaloes, this is practically unworkable and poses enormous logistical, environmental and economic challenges,” it said.
Steenhuisen said the wildlife sector must be fully integrated into the department’s FMD Recovery Plan.
“Buffaloes are central to the epidemiology of this disease in Southern Africa. Any serious strategy to restore our status must account for that reality,” he said.
Other wildlife species such as warthog and kudu can act as intermediaries, while poor fencing, shared water points and intensive feeding practices increase transmission risk.
“Targeted cattle vaccination around buffalo zones, strict biosecurity, and science-based movement control are therefore essential pillars of the national response,” the Ministry said.
Steenhuisen’s strategy is to vaccinate the national herd in a phased, controlled and verifiable manner to regain FMD-free status with vaccination from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
The Ministerial Task Team forms part of the broader triangular structure established to drive recovery, which includes the Department of Agriculture, the Technical and Scientific Task Team, and the FMD Industry Coordination Council.
“This partnership ensures alignment between policy, veterinary science and operational execution. The stakes are extremely high. If we do not get this right, the consequences for both livestock and wildlife will be long-lasting,” Steenhuisen said.
“But if we stay disciplined, science-driven and united, we can restore our status and protect the entire value chain.”
The task team is currently implementing a fact-driven blueprint focused on vaccination, regionalisation, traceability, surveillance and market re-entry readiness.
The Ministry said Dr Bauer’s appointment strengthened this effort and ensured that the wildlife industry’s expertise was fully integrated into the recovery plan.
