Overview
- President Cyril Ramaphosa used his State of the Nation Address to declare the outbreak a national disaster, appoint a task team that reports to him monthly, and confirm a centrally managed, yearlong vaccination campaign.
- The plan targets 14 million cattle with 28 million doses, requiring about 38,350 vaccinations per day, with private partners assisting distribution and Onderstepoort expected to produce around 20,000 doses per day by March alongside imported stock.
- Authorities report infections across all provinces, with the Western and Northern Capes enforcing quarantines at affected farms this week.
- The Western Cape announced a R100 million emergency intervention, rolling out a 21-point containment plan, tightening livestock movement, and starting vaccinations in affected and surrounding herds.
- Producer groups and civil society cite procurement delays and urge decentralisation, as an estimated 5 million imported doses await paperwork; the agriculture department removed Dr Danie Odendaal from its task team after public criticism and later named wildlife veterinarian Dr Gary Bauer to the group.