CAPE TOWN - President Cyril Ramaphosa used his State of the Nation Address to outline how government will intervene to eliminate foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
Ramaphosa said government intends to roll out a nationwide vaccination drive.
He announced that the entire national herd of 14 million cattle will be vaccinated, requiring 28 million vaccine doses.
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"Foot-and-mouth disease will be fought with vaccines," he said.
Ramaphosa said that over the next few months, the state will centrally facilitate the acquisition of the vaccines to ensure the correct strain-specific doses are secured.
He added that government will work closely with the private sector to enable an efficient rollout, ensuring that commercial, private and communal farmers have immediate access to the vaccines.