EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE APPROVES R55 MILLION EMERGENCY FUNDING TO RESPOND TO FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE OUTBREAK
The Eastern Cape Provincial Government has approved R55 million in emergency funding to support the immediate response to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the province.
This follows the classification of the outbreak as a national disaster on 13 February 2026 by the Head of the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC), in terms of section 23 of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002). The declaration enables the implementation of coordinated and integrated measures across all spheres of government to contain and mitigate the spread of the disease.
Acting in terms of Section 25(1) of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (PFMA), the MEC for Finance Mlungisi Mvoko has authorised the allocation of R55 million from the Provincial Revenue Fund to the Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture to support urgent response measures, including the procurement of vaccines, disease control interventions, and related operational costs.
Tabling the notice for emergency funding at the Provincial Legislature, Finance MEC Mlungisi Mvoko said the decision was necessary to protect the province’s livestock industry and rural economy.
“The rapid spread of foot-and-mouth disease poses a serious threat to our livestock industry, food security, and the livelihoods of many rural communities in the Eastern Cape. We could not afford to delay intervention,” said MEC Mvoko.
He emphasised that Section 25 of the PFMA empowers the MEC for Finance to authorise expenditure of an exceptional and unforeseeable nature that cannot be postponed without serious prejudice to the public interest.
“In terms of Section 25 of the PFMA, I have approved R55 million in emergency funding to ensure that the Department of Agriculture can immediately intensify vaccination programmes and containment measures. This allocation demonstrates our commitment to acting swiftly and responsibly in the face of this national disaster,” he said.
The approved emergency funding will be incorporated into the 2026 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) budget documentation to be tabled in the Provincial Legislature in March 2026.
“Despite the fiscal pressures we face, the Provincial Treasury remains committed to ensuring that government responds decisively to contain the spread of FMD and to minimise its socio-economic impact,” MEC Mvoko concluded.
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