Kwanalu, the KZN Agricultural Union, welcomes the formal gazetting lifting the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Disease Management Area (DMA) in KwaZulu-Natal announced on 15 May 2026.
“This is a critical milestone for agriculture in KwaZulu-Natal. While it has taken longer than it should have, this outcome reflects the sustained pressure applied by Kwanalu to ensure that the realities facing producers were acknowledged and acted upon. Kwanalu has remained firm throughout this process, and we welcome this as a necessary step toward sector recovery,” says Kwanalu Chairman and beef farmer, PJ Hassard.
The DMA restrictions have had a severe and far-reaching impact across the livestock industry, with losses running into billions of rands. Producers across all commodity groups have faced prolonged disruption to market access, cash flow constraints, increased operational costs and mounting pressure on farm-level sustainability. These effects have extended beyond the “farm gate”, impacting employment, product supply and the broader cost of living for all South Africans.
“We have seen first-hand the strain this has placed on producers, their businesses and the people who depend on them. The emotional and financial toll has been significant, and while this decision brings relief, it also underscores how critical it is that future responses are both timely and practical,” says Kwanalu CEO Sandy La Marque.
Hassard says the outcome reflects the cumulative impact of sustained and, where necessary, firm engagement.
“This has been a long and deliberate process involving years of formal submissions and direct engagement with the Minister and government officials, and ongoing coordination with industry stakeholders. Kwanalu pursued every available avenue to resolve this matter. When it became clear that progress was not being achieved, we took the necessary step of obtaining legal opinion and asserting our policy position. We believe those interventions played a key role in bringing the DMA to this point.”
Kwanalu urges all livestock producers that while restrictions have eased, compliance with biosecurity measures and regulatory requirements remains essential to protect animal health and support the restoration of market access.
“While the lifting of the DMA is a significant step forward, livestock owners must remain cautious. The conditions now in place mean that we are not returning to a pre-FMD environment. Compliance and responsible management will remain essential as the sector moves forward,” says Hassard.
Kwanalu remains committed to supporting its members, ensuring that their interests continue to be represented at the highest levels and will continue to play a leading role in engaging with authorities and industry to ensure that the implementation of these regulations is practical, clearly understood and aligned with both disease control objectives and the long-term sustainability of the livestock sector.
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.
- PJ Hassard.
- Sandy La Marque.
