The City of Cape Town’s Disaster Coordinating Team says it will continue supporting efforts to contain the ongoing Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in the metro, as authorities work to safeguard livestock and local farmers.
According to the City, the team was activated last month after the disease was declared a national disaster.
Over the past month, one of the key interventions has been providing enforcement escorts for veterinary teams administering vaccines to small-scale and informal farmers across Cape Town.
Traffic, Law Enforcement and Metro Police departments have supported vaccination drives in areas including Mfuleni, Delft, parts of Khayelitsha, Kalkfontein, Nyanga, Philippi East, Dunoon, Wallacedene and Macassar.
These coordinated efforts have reportedly resulted in the successful vaccination of nearly 2,600 livestock.
“The escorts of officials responsible for administering vaccines means they can focus on the task at hand,” says Safety and Security chief, JP Smith
Smith says Metro Police officers have also taken full responsibility for staffing FMD checkpoints within the city’s boundaries, particularly near Witsand and Klipheuwel.
Enforcement personnel have also received specialised training from the Western Cape Agri State Vet to identify symptoms of infection and inspect animals in transit.
” – our staff have also been trained to conduct inspections of animals in transit and how to identify possible signs of infection,” added Smith
He added that the initiative not only protects farmers’ investments and animal welfare but also helps build stronger relationships with informal farming sectors, which play a vital role in broader public safety and animal welfare efforts.
The Disaster Risk Management Centre is also assisting with community education and awareness campaigns as part of a coordinated response to the outbreak.
READ MORE: Mass FMD vaccination drive underway in the Western Cape
