Pretoria, 4 July 2025 – Dr Peter Evans has been appointed as the lead veterinarian of the RMIS Operational Centre (OC), overseeing the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) Working Group. Seconded from the South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (SAPPO), Dr Evans brings substantial industry experience in veterinary science, outbreak response, biosecurity, and value chain coordination. RMIS extends its appreciation to SAPPO for their collaboration and support during this time.
Dr Evans’s leadership will support RMIS’s Operational Centre and FMD Working Group in formulating the structured FMD response plan, ensuring that technical expertise is aligned with on-the-ground realities.
“My journey at SAPPO began with another foreign viral disease in pigs – PRRS – which we successfully eradicated. Since then, I’ve contributed to the development of biosecurity strategies and protocols aimed at mitigating disease risks at farm, national, and international levels,” said Dr Evans. “The RMIS team has already accomplished an incredible amount of work, and I’m eager to join forces with them to drive meaningful progress. I look forward to contributing to a collaborative effort and achieving a positive outcome for the industry.”
The final version of the national industry response plan has been shared with industry stakeholders for input over the coming week. The consolidated plan will then be finalised and submitted to the Department of Agriculture ahead of the national FMD Imbizo, scheduled for 21–22 July 2025.
“We appreciate the experience Dr Evans brings to the role and the collaborative work that continues to guide a practical and coordinated response to FMD. The next few weeks will focus on ensuring alignment with government and readiness across the value chain,” said RMIS CEO Dewald Olivier.
This announcement comes as the Department of Agriculture today confirmed that FMD outbreaks in two major disease management areas (DMA’s), in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo, have now been successfully contained. The lifting of movement restrictions in these regions follows extensive vaccination campaigns and serological surveillance, with no new cases reported in recent months.
Quarantined farms in the Eastern Cape will remain under control measures until all necessary post-vaccination testing is completed. The DMA in KwaZulu-Natal remains in place, where signs of virus circulation continue.
“This progress shows what is possible when government and industry align around clear goals,” said Olivier. “If we stay focused and coordinated, this can be a turning point, not only in managing the current outbreak, but in how we prepare for and prevent future disruptions.”
