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Cattle eating hay on a farm.
The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has confirmed two cases of foot-and-mouth disease in Viljoenskroon, located in the Moqhaka municipality of the Free State.
One of the two confirmed cases is on a commercial farm, whilst the second case is on a communal grazing area alongside the border of the North West province.
Movement restrictions have been implemented on all farms within a 10-kilometre radius of the infected farms.
The infected farms and communal areas have been placed under quarantine.
The department says it has prioritised vaccination of the infected farms and communal areas.
Last month, the department reported a case of the disease in the Metsimaholo Municipality in Deneysville. It said the source of the outbreak was linked to an animal feeding operation in one of the neighbouring provinces.
Impact on beef exports
On Tuesday, during the Democratic Alliance press conference, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen expressed his concern that South Africa is missing out on beef export opportunities due to foot-and-mouth disease.
Steenhuisen acknowledged that the strategy used to control the disease over the last five to eight years is ineffective and causing significant economic harm.
Foot and mouth disease halts SA beef exports:
