Namibia’s FMD-free status is under serious threat, agriculture minister Inge Zaamwani has warned, as outbreaks in South Africa edge closer to the country’s borders.

Speaking at the ministry’s annual staff meeting last week, Zaamwani said eight of South Africa’s nine provinces are now affected by FMD, with only the Northern Cape remaining disease-free.

"The moment there is a case in the Northern Cape, it's only a question of time before Namibia's entire FMD-free zone is affected," the minister warned, highlighting the gravity of the situation for the country's livestock industry.

She acknowledged public criticism on social media, noting tha

t many are accusing the ministry of inaction and failing to respond to the crisis with sufficient urgency. The directorate of veterinary services has particularly come under attack from concerned stakeholders, she admitted.

Addressing her staff, Zaamwani said that tackling FMD is not the responsibility of a single department.

"When you hear people speaking like that, as staff and employees of the ministry, you should know that it is our responsibility," she said, emphasising that all ministry staff share responsibility for addressing the threat.

The minister urged her staff to act, saying they have to focus on the question: "How can we prepare our farmers in those areas to be ready?"