THE Hhohho region’s long-standing sanctuary has finally fallen.
After months of being the only area spared from the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) crisis, it has now joined the rest of the country in a high-alert fight against the virus.
With the confirmation of cases in Hhohho, the virus has effectively completed its map of the kingdom. What was once a localised struggle in specific regions has evolved into a nationwide emergency, leaving livestock farmers and veterinary officials grappling with the implications of a fully compromised safe zone.
The confirmation of the disease in northern Hhohho marks a sombre turning point for the local agricultural sector, ending the region’s status as a green zone.
The reported cases emerged within the Pigg’s Peak sub-region, specifically affecting three critical dip tanks — Gunwane, Magoga and Bulandzeni.
This development was the focal point of a massive FMD sensitisation session held yesterday for Ntfonjeni farmers, an event that drew over 500 livestock owners concerned about the future of their livelihoods and the safety of their herds.
Since the initial confirmation of the FMD outbreak in the country in May 2025 at the Sikhwebezi dip tanks, Hhohho had remained a beacon of hope.
While the Shiselweni, Lubombo and Manzini regions succumbed to the pressure of the outbreak, Hhohho’s borders had held due to rigorous government interventions.
These measures included 24-hour checkpoints, targeted vaccination programmes and strict livestock movement restrictions designed to wall off the region from the highly contagious SAT1 and SAT2 strains.
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However, the widespread nature of these strains, which originated in South Africa, proved too aggressive to contain indefinitely.
The local crisis mirrors a larger regional disaster. Just last Friday, Cyril Ramaphosa declared a national state of disaster in South Africa to address a severe FMD outbreak affecting eight provinces.
The declaration triggered a massive vaccination drive for South Africa’s 14 million national herd, highlighting the gravity of the biological threat facing Southern African livestock.
The FMD ‘attack’ on Hhohho was communicated to farmers during a sensitisation exercise at Ntfonjeni, attended by the indvunayenkhundla, seven bucophos and representatives from the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) crime prevention and stock theft units.
Farmers were reminded of their legal obligations to brand and ear-tag their animals for identification. They were also urged to ensure all cattle, sheep and goats attend scheduled dipping days.
Crucially, the meeting addressed border concerns, stating that any cattle straying into South Africa must be reported to veterinary assistants and police for legal repatriation to prevent the re-introduction of the virus.
The session also took a hard line against the use of unregistered veterinary drugs and self-medication. Farmers ultimately agreed to return to the traditional practice of herding cattle to ensure constant supervision and prevent illegal movement.
Bakhangezi Ndwandwe, one of the farmers, expressed appreciation for the Ministry of Agriculture’s proactive communication.
“We will ensure that we help government fight FMD and that the outbreak does not reach Ntfonjeni. We can do that by adhering to FMD restrictions and stopping illegal cattle movements since such causes problems to all of us. We need to stop this till the country wins the FMD battle,” he said.
His words echoed a sentiment of collective responsibility, acknowledging that the fight against FMD is as much a matter of community discipline as it is of medical intervention.
Minister of Agriculture Mandla Tshawuka, when reached for comment, said:
“I have been at the Cabinet retreat. I am yet to get a report of what is happening on the ground and we had anticipated to call a press conference today or tomorrow to address issues surrounding mass vaccination.”
The ministry is also navigating internal labour disputes. Some veterinary assistants have threatened to boycott the vaccination exercise, demanding hardship allowances they claim date back to 2001.
However, the minister remained firm on the government’s timeline.
“Nothing will stop the exercise. We have engaged with the vaccination teams and they have confirmed that they are on board,” he said.
Government has officially launched its nationwide battle against FMD following the arrival of 70,000 vaccine doses from Botswana last Friday.
This initial shipment marks the beginning of an aggressive mass vaccination campaign aimed at stabilising the fight against FMD.
The ministry confirmed that a second batch of 50,000 doses is expected to arrive this week, with additional consignments scheduled until full nationwide coverage is achieved.
The rollout has already begun. Earlier this week, veterinary teams administered booster shots to cattle at the Babane and Holoni dip tanks in the Nhlangano area, Shiselweni Region.
These targeted interventions focus on high-risk zones to create an immediate immune buffer. As more supplies arrive, the ministry says it will upscale operations across all four regions.
