​Lerato Mailoane
"Red meat is safe for consumption, and all protocols are in full effect at Karan Beef facilities."
That's according to the Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, during an oversite visit on Monday, 23 June 2025 at Karan Beef Feedlot in Heidelberg facility to combat the persistent Foot and mouth disease (FMD) 
Minister Steenhuisen was accompanied by the Gauteng MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa. 
Head veterinarian at Karan Beef, Dirk Verwoerd led the tour following the confirmation of FMD cases at the facility on June 2.
The oversight visit aimed to assess containment protocols and reinforce the government's commitment to halting the spread of the disease.
The FMD outbreak had a significant impact on the beef sector, with cases confirmed in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and most recently, the North West province.
The visit to the farm started with a briefing, by Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD)'s Veterinary Services Unit, Chief Director who outlined the province's response and interventions to contain the spread of FMD.
"This is not just a Karan Beef issue, it is a national crisis. Soft borders between provinces and the unchecked movement of livestock have created concerns and we need to implement tighter controls and better surveillance." 
Minister Steenhuisen also agreed that the outbreak had a massive impact on the entire value chain of red meat as well as on consumers as the prices of meat products have increased.
"The price of red meat has increased considerably since the outbreak. Karan Beef is responsible for roughly 30% of the beef sector in South Africa and when a facility like this is affected, it influences the entire supply and demand chain — not only beef, but also those providing feed, transport, or packaging," he said.
The Minister said investigations are underway to determine the source of the outbreak, though officials suspect the virus may have entered through informal livestock trade routes near Labolla and other soft-border regions.
He further cautioned meat producers, farmers and auction houses to have the proper protocols in place to prevent any disease and if they breach the protocols, they must face the consequences.
"We have ordered over 900 000 vaccine doses to get FMD under control, but vaccines alone will not solve this. We must restore local production capacity and enforce protocols locally and across borders. However, the economic knock-on effect is already being felt as we cannot afford to have these outbreaks. The vaccination process is part of a strategy that will lead to a long-term solution on how to bring FMD under control," he added.
Steenhuisen reiterated that people cannot get sick from FMD and that the meat remains safe for consumption as the disease is not transferred to humans. He encouraged consumers to continue buying beef.
"The Karan Beef Heidelberg feedlot, slaughters around 2 000 cattle daily and is pivotal in the country's beef supply chain. The outbreak has disrupted exports, with China, Namibia, and Zimbabwe suspending imports from South Africa. Beef prices have surged, and small-scale farmers are struggling to move livestock amid winter grazing shortages," Steenhuisen said, adding that FMD is similar to a flu virus in humans as the strain spreads quickly.
MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa said regular inspections must be done, strains must continuously be tested, and vaccines must be administered to prevent the spread.
She also stressed the need for coordinated action.
"We are working closely with national authorities and industry leaders. The virus does not respect provincial borders and our response must be equally borderless," said Ramakgopa.