The Border Management Authority (BMA) has raised concerns over violations of South Africa’s veterinary and biosecurity regulations following the interception of illegally imported veterinary medicines and vaccines.
This follows an incident on November 26, 2025, when BMA Port Agriculture officials stopped an aircraft arriving from Kenya and Tanzania at Polokwane International Airport.
BMA’s Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato described the incident as a serious breach of national veterinary and biosecurity laws.
It was revealed that the plane was carrying two polystyrene boxes containing about 84 kilograms of the veterinary medicine “Berenil”, reportedly en route to Pietermaritzburg.
The consignment was refused entry because it did not have the necessary import permits as required under Section 6 of the Animal Diseases Act 35 of 1984.
Following consultations with the Department of Agriculture, the medicines were confiscated and sent to the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute – Transboundary Animal Diseases Laboratory (OVI-TAD) for further testing and analysis.
Commissioner Masiapato stressed the importance of enforcing biosecurity regulations, particularly amid the ongoing Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in the country.
“Strict measures at ports of entry are essential to protect national herd health and prevent the introduction of potentially harmful veterinary products,” Masiapato said.
“We have strengthened vigilance and inspection services at ports of entry to detect and intercept illegal importation of untested biological and veterinary products, including vaccines, that may be harmful to local farmers and livestock,” he said.
It is further explained that the Department of Agriculture controls all FMD vaccination programmes, sourcing vaccines from the Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI), which hosts the World Organisation for Animal Health’s regional reference laboratory for FMD.
Masiapato reaffirmed that the BMA is fully committed to supporting government programmes aimed at controlling FMD and ensuring the economic stability of South Africa’s livestock industry.
“Illegal importation of veterinary medicines threatens both animal health and market access for local producers. The BMA remains vigilant to protect national herd health and biosecurity,” he added.
anita.nkonki@inl.co.za
Saturday Star