‘We need vaccines now’: Fed-up farmers protest Foot-and-Mouth crisis ahead of SONA
As President Cyril Ramaphosa prepared to deliver his State of the Nation Address, farmers pressed officials to fast-track vaccines.
Image: Screenshot/Newzroom Afrika
A few moments before the State of the Nation Address (SONA), a group of farmers gathered outside Parliament to voice concerns over the Foot-and-Mouth disease crisis, urging Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen and President Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently secure vaccines to protect their livestock.
They held placards reading, “Mr Steenhuisen, please vaccinate us for Foot-and-Mouth.”
The protest came ahead of Ramaphosa’s highly anticipated annual address, scheduled to be delivered at Cape Town City Hall at 7pm on Thursday night.
SONA officially opens Parliament and provides the president with a national platform to outline the government’s priorities for the year ahead.
Protesters, civilians, and South Africans with grievances related to the State of the Nation have been designated specific areas to stage demonstrations.
Speaking to broadcaster Newzroom Africa, one farmer, Peter, highlighted how the crisis had affected them.
“It is something that has caused severe issues within the industry. Both James and I are sons of farmers in KwaZulu-Natal, both from dairy farms,” he said.
“We are probably one of the last farms unaffected. We haven’t got it just yet, but it’s a matter of days until we do. James’s farm has sadly been affected.
“They do have Foot-and-Mouth Disease. It’s been horrific for the industry - for the cows, for the farmers, for the jobs at stake. It’s awful.”
The peaceful protest comes days after Steenhuisen announced that he will not seek re-election as Democratic Alliance (DA) leader at the party’s federal congress in April.
He said he would withdraw from the leadership contest but remain in his role as Minister of Agriculture, focusing his efforts on fighting the devastating Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in the country.
His department has struggled to contain the spread, and farmers are increasingly frustrated.
Peter said they were demanding that Steenhuisen secure vaccines.
“We just asked him, Mr Steenhuisen, to secure vaccines and quickly. We understand he’s put together a 10-year plan, but we need something now,” he said.
Ahead of SONA, KwaZulu-Natal farmers are calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa and Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen to act fast, warning that livestock and jobs are at risk.
Image: GCIS
“This is, I think, almost too late, but we still need action urgently. It’s not a matter of weeks; we need vaccines within hours. We need them ASAP.”
He added that they hoped their plea would reach not only Steenhuisen but also Ramaphosa.
“Exactly. He’s a cattle owner himself, so we’re wondering if his cows are vaccinated. He’s also at risk. We really ask Mr Ramaphosa and Mr Steenhuisen to get vaccines.”
“As farmers, our hands are tied at the moment. We can’t do anything; we’re waiting on them. It’s a state-controlled disease that isn’t being controlled by them.”
Peter said the impact of the disease had been enormous.
“It’s not just the jobs directly on the farm. All the service providers are affected. On a farm, there are a lot of jobs connected - not just the labourers, but also contractors, mechanics, and everyone linked to a farm,” he said.