The Sunday, 1 February episode of Carte Blanche explores one of the most transmissible diseases affecting livestock, having serious implications for food security and farmers’ livelihoods.
What started as isolated foot-and-mouth disease incidents has spiraled into a nationwide emergency, resulting in the suspension of livestock trading, indefinite delays in auctions, and farmers likening their situation to a COVID-style shutdown.
Vaccination remains the sole effective intervention, yet the limited availability has left a significant gap in demand, raising concerns about shortcomings in vaccine storage, monitoring, and import processes.
In a discussion, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen addresses the increasing challenges faced by farmers and elaborates on the government’s strategy to manage the crisis and protect South Africa’s livestock sector.
Trustworthiness among South African audiences
Carte Blanche is an investigative journalism program from South Africa that premieres on M-Net every Sunday at 19:00.
Since its debut on 21 August 1988, it has built a reputation for delivering credible investigations into issues of corruption, consumer rights, and pertinent news topics over more than three decades.
