Foot and mouth disease is common in South Africa’s wildlife reserves. There are constant efforts to make sure it doesn’t spread to farmed animals. But since 2019 the country has seen repeated outbreaks on farms. In 2026 the country’s R80 billion (US$5 billion) beef industry faced a crisis as unchecked outbreaks spread to all provinces. This caused a 26% drop in exports of beef in 2025, heavily affecting trade with China in particular. The lack of a mandatory, nationwide system to trace diseases like this means they can’t be effectively managed. We asked Tania Prinsloo, who has researched disease surveillance systems, to explain what’s gone wrong.
How bad is the foot and mouth outbreak in South Africa?
There have consistently been sporadic foot and mouth disease outbreaks in the country. But the most recent outbreak of the SAT2 strain started in May 2021 in the province of KwaZulu-Natal . Foot and mouth disease has spread to all provinces, with clusters of confirmed outbreaks in different regions.
A January 2026 study by the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy estimated that South Africa’s current outbreak could cost the livestock sector R13.1 billion over the next five years. This includes R11.3 billion in lost production value and R1.8 billion in lost export revenue.
