FMD Outbreak Hits Mangwe District

29 January 2026

By Andile Vundla

Livestock farmers in Mangwe District are on high alert after authorities confirmed an outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, a highly contagious condition that threatens cattle, livelihoods, and cross-border trade.

The Department of Veterinary Services says the outbreak was confirmed on 5 January 2026 at Maholi and Hannavale dip tanks in Mangwe District, Matabeleland South, near the Botswana border.

Officials report that 54 cattle have shown clinical signs of the disease out of a total herd of just over 2,400. Laboratory tests confirmed the Foot-and-Mouth Disease SAT 1 strain, with further analysis underway to guide vaccine matching.

Veterinary authorities suspect the outbreak may be linked to buffaloes that were sighted in nearby communal areas about two months before the cases were detected.

In response, government has imposed strict quarantine measures, restricted livestock movement, rolled out vaccinations within a 20-kilometre radius, and intensified surveillance and awareness campaigns in affected communities.

The Veterinary Services Directorate says it will continue updating stakeholders as the situation develops.

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