In the quiet farming communities of Gauteng and Limpopo, a tragedy of biblical proportions is unfolding.
A devastating outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has swept through the region, leaving a trail of economic ruin and emotional trauma in its wake.
For many dairy farmers, the only way to stop the spread is the unthinkable: shooting their own prize-winning herds.
"It’s like losing members of your family," said one Gauteng farmer, who asked to remain anonymous as he struggled to hold back tears. He recently had to cull 500 of his 2,500 cattle after the disease was detected on his property.
"You spend your whole life building up these bloodlines, and in two weeks, it’s all gone. I’m on anti-depressants just to get through the day."
The outbreak has exposed what experts are calling an "institutional collapse" in South Africa’s veterinary defences. While the government has finally secured one million doses of FMD vaccine, many argue it is "too little, too late" for those who have already lost everything. The disease, which causes painful blisters and lameness in livestock, is a "controlled disease," meaning the government is responsible for the response—but farmers say they have been left to fight the battle alone.
The impact goes far beyond the farm gate. With exports blocked and production plummeting, the price of meat and dairy is expected to soar, hitting the pockets of every South African consumer. But for the men and women on the front lines, the cost is measured in more than just Rands and Cents. It is the sound of the gunshots echoing across the veld that will haunt them for years to come.
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