Young farmer loses 11 goats to FMD ‘red zone’

Friday, May 29, 2026 | 100 Views |

LEPORUNG: It had always been Thuso Bapalami's dream to one day build her own house using proceeds from her goats.

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.

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