By 
The Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak has hit the country very hard, on a scale that has never been experienced before. The Free State province has also been hard hit including the sole metro of the province, Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality (MMM).
The disease is a threat to the livestock industry, food security and jobs. In consideration of all this, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mangaung says it has tabled a motion to the Council to compel the Metro to assume legal responsibility, in conjunction with the Provincial Government, for Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreaks in the Mangaung area.
According to Cllr. Thomas Ferreira – DA Councillor in Mangaung, during the Special Council meeting of 26 February 2026, the Speaker, Lawrence Mathae, confirmed that this motion will be served before Council at the next available opportunity.
Ferreira said in January 2026, the Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, called for a State of Disaster in response to Foot-and-Mouth Disease. He said the declaration underscores the seriousness of the threat. Left unmanaged, this highly contagious disease can devastate emerging and commercial farmers alike, disrupt livestock auctions and trade, threaten food security, and destroy jobs in an already fragile local economy.
The Councillor said in Mangaung, where many residents rely on agriculture, informal trading, and cultural livestock practices, the consequences of municipal inaction would be severe.
Quoting legislation, Cllr Thomas Ferreira said the Municipality cannot defer responsibility to other spheres of government. Under Section 41(1)(h) of the Constitution, it must cooperate with national and provincial authorities to ensure a safe and healthy environment. Furthermore, legislation, including the Fencing Act 31 of 1963, the Animal Identification Act 6 of 2002, and the Animal Diseases Act 35 of 1984, places clear obligations on landowners. Where municipal commonage is used communally without formal lease agreements, the Municipality remains directly responsible for disease control.
Section 11 of the Animal Diseases Act requires landowners to take reasonable steps to prevent the spread of disease, report suspected infections immediately to the State Veterinarian, enforce quarantine measures, and maintain strict biosecurity. Failure to ensure adequate fencing, livestock supervision, veterinary inspections, and movement controls creates the very conditions in which outbreaks flourish.
He said when oversight collapses, infections spread; when infections spread, farmers lose income, jobs are lost, and the broader community suffers economic decline.
“This is ultimately about reliable basic services and responsible governance. Proper management of municipal land, enforcement of biosecurity protocols, and transparent reporting are not optional extras, they are core municipal functions. Continued neglect reflects a broader pattern of weak oversight that undermines service delivery and erodes economic resilience in Mangaung.
Through this motion, the DA requires that a comprehensive report be tabled within 30 days of adoption, detailing how the Municipality will comply with all relevant legislation and disaster regulations. We will insist on clear accountability mechanisms, regular oversight reporting to Council, and strict enforcement of movement and grazing controls on municipal land.
Mangaung’s residents, farmers, and businesses deserve leadership that protects livelihoods, strengthens biosecurity, and safeguards economic opportunity. The DA will ensure that the Municipality acts decisively before preventable outbreaks cause irreversible damage,” said Cllr Thomas Ferreira.
