By Lebone Rodah Mosima
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has confirmed an African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak after several pigs were found dead in the Grogro informal settlement near Sherwood in Gqeberha.
Earlier this week, the municipality told residents that the detection of the disease posed no risk to human health, emphasising that African Swine Fever is a highly contagious viral disease that affects domestic and wild pigs.
The municipality’s Director for Environmental Health, Dr Patrick Nodwele, along with municipal health officials, were alerted to the pig deaths. Upon arriving on site, they initially suspected poisoning.
“However, after engaging the State Veterinary Services and conducting the necessary tests, the final confirmed diagnosis was African Swine Fever,” Nodwele said.
African Swine Fever has become a recurring animal-health problem in South Africa’s pig sector, including in the Eastern Cape.
The national Department of Agriculture’s latest April update recorded 58 ASF outbreaks in the Eastern Cape since the provincial outbreak event began in 2020, with 19 still open.
The department said Eastern Cape outbreaks were continuing at a stable low level after a peak in January 2023. Nelson Mandela Bay has also recorded cases before, including outbreaks reported in 2023 and five Gqeberha outbreaks closed with the help of the World Organisation for Animal Health, the global body that tracks animal disease outbreaks, in November 2024.
The municipality said preliminary indications suggested the outbreak may have been linked to freely roaming domestic pigs coming into contact with wild pigs in the area.
“To prevent further infections, the Municipality’s Environmental Health Practitioners, working together with the State Veterinary Services team, conducted community outreach and awareness campaigns in the affected informal settlement.”
The municipality said residents and pig owners were educated on the importance of containing pigs, improving animal-control measures and preventing the further spread of the disease.
Samples were collected for testing and the pig carcasses were removed and disposed of “in line with health and environmental safety protocols”.
The municipality urged community members not to consume meat from dead or infected pigs. It said it would continue to monitor the situation closely and work with veterinary authorities to ensure the outbreak remains contained.
INSIDE METROS
 outbreak after several pigs were found dead in the Grogro informal settlement near Sherwood in Gqeberha.){kind=link}