Kwanalu calls for formal gazetting of lifting of FMD restrictions

Kwanalu, The KZN Agricultural Union, welcomes the announcement of the lifting of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Disease Management Area (DMA) restrictions in KwaZulu-Natal by the Minister on 5 May 2026.

Kwanalu now has called on the relevant authorities to urgently finalise and publish the official Gazette and all supporting regulatory details, in order to provide legal certainty, practical clarity and enforceable implementation measures for the livestock sector.

“While a subsequent circulated “notice” indicates the lifting of the DMA and references conditions applicable to the transition, it does not contain the standard verification elements of an official government gazette, including a gazette number, date and formal reference to the preceding gazette. Until the notice is properly gazetted and promulgated, uncertainty remains regarding the legal and operational status of the DMA lifting,” says Kwanalu CEO Sandy La Marque.

The long-awaited announcement represents a significant step forward for the province’s agricultural sector. The DMA restrictions have had a severe and far-reaching impact across livestock producers and agricultural value chains, with losses running into hundreds of millions of rand, affecting employment, product supply and ultimately the cost of living.

“In situations like this, misinformation spreads extremely quickly, particularly where producers are understandably desperate for certainty. The livestock industry, already plagued with significant existential losses cannot afford uncertainty driven by misinformation,” says Kwanalu Chairperson and beef farmer, PJ Hassard.

“The impact of these restrictions on livestock producers, agri-businesses and rural communities has been immense. Producers have carried prolonged financial and operational pressure while trying to remain compliant under extremely difficult circumstances,” he said.

As a representative body for the agricultural and rural sectors of KZN, Kwanalu plays a key role in consistently advocating for practical and implementable interventions to address FMD and mitigate its economic impact.

La Marque, said the organisation had maintained pressure throughout the process to ensure the concerns of producers remained firmly on the agenda.

“This has been a long and deliberate process involving years of engagement with the Minister, government role players and agricultural stakeholders. Kwanalu consistently pushed for practical, science-based and economically sustainable solutions. We have consistently escalated the matter to ensure the seriousness of the situation was fully understood,” says La Marque.

“The livestock industry awaits the urgent publication of the final, official gazette and any further relevant information. Kwanalu will continue to play a constructive and leading role in shaping the way forward, including ongoing input into policy, regulatory frameworks and disease management strategies, and remains committed to ensuring that any transition out of the DMA is credible, clearly defined and implementable, in the best interests of both animal health and the sustainability of the agricultural sector,” says Hassard.

The KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural Union, Kwanalu, is a representative organization voice of the rural and agricultural sectors in the province. Its viewpoints are based on submissions from its members, and it is committed to a sustainable and profitable future for Agriculture within KwaZulu-Natal and the greater South Africa.

For more information on Kwanalu, visit www.kwanalu.co.za or call 033 342 9393.