Can Steenhuisen hoof it?

Poor management by the department of agriculture over the past half dozen years has allowed foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) to rampage through SA's critically important livestock economy, driving farmers to despair.

- William Saunderson-Meyer

The fallout has been brutal. Beef and related products have been banned in key markets such as China, Namibia and Zimbabwe. It hits the dairy sector particularly hard: secondary effects like mastitis, an udder infection, make milking slow, labour-intensive and excruciatingly painful for the animals.

The crisis is also shaping up to be a stern, nuts-and-bolts test of DA leader John Steen-huisen's competence in the agriculture portfolio, a job that touches millions of livelihoods. Until now, his main visible role has been to personify the supposed racial harmony of the government of national unity - President Cyril Ramaphosa cringingly introduced him to Donald Trump at that infamous White House tête-à-tête as "my white minister of agriculture".

This veterinary, agricultural and trade emergency comes at an inconvenient moment for Steenhuisen. His party leadership is already wobbling after the Dion George debacle.