Young farmer loses 11 goats to FMD ‘red zone’
Innocent Selatlhwa - Mbongeni Mguni | Monday June 1, 2026 06:00
Unfortunately for her, she is now down 11 goats after they landed in a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)-“red zone” where any stray livestock is terminated, in Zone 11. Of the 11, nine were female, six of them pregnant, and the other three had small kids.
Zone 11, covering several southern districts, is the epicentre of the country’s FMD crisis. Strict livestock movement, slaughter and control directives are in place, as the country fights to wrest back its access to the lucrative European Union market.
An outbreak that has affected all countries in the region except Namibia and Madagascar, is crippling farmers in an area which previously had not witnessed FMD in over 50 years.
Bapalami laments that she has not only lost the means for her future, but also the income that helped her care for her ailing mother and little brother.
Prior to the incident, she told Mmegi she had been vigilant, doing her best to look after her goats by physically herding them before closing them into their kraal in the evening. On the fateful day, just a fortnight ago, 11 of her goats found their way into the middle of the veterinary fence, the area known as the red zone.
According to the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture regulations, any livestock found there is killed instantly, with farmers being compensated a mere P700 per cow and P200 per goat.
“The goats usually feed close to the fence as the grass is greener towards the river that flows between the two countries. “They would also want to cross to get water from the other side of the fence. “For that reason, I always make sure that when they are not in the kraal, I am behind them. “I knew they were at risk,” she said.
Bapalami’s homestead is less than 50 kilometres from the red zone. In fact, the rooftops of neighbouring homes in South Africa are clearly visible from her home and the kraals she maintains there.
Bapalami explained that one of the challenges is that, from time to time, people destroy the fence, allowing livestock to enter the red zone.
“It was only after almost a whole day that I met a neighbour who told me my goats were surrounded by authorities. “We went there, and they told me they were also surprised the goats were mine, since they always saw me manning them. “I tried to plead with them to at least have them sold in South Africa as they are not restricted from killing that side,” she said.
Bapalami said she witnessed her goats being killed. She said they had also brought her a social worker to counsel her during the process, but she was inconsolable.
“I am distraught; these goats were my main livelihood. I am not working, and I was taking care of my sick mother and little brother. “I have been taking care of these goats with the hope they will one day help me build my own house,” she said.
Bapalami said there was a lot of movement of people destroying the fence. She called on authorities to better man the borderlines. She also lamented the low compensation.
“That P200 is too little compensation for a goat. At least P1,000 per goat would do, or maybe they could replace our goats. “They should consider circumstances because if they do not, it could cause trouble because some people will not declare when they find their livestock in the red zone, increasing the risk of disease spreading,” she said.