FMD vaccine row: OBP acting CEO suspended over pricing allegations
The OBP Acting CEO has been placed on precautionary suspension over allegations concerning the pricing of foot-and-mouth disease vaccines, with the board giving him five days to respond.
Acting CEO of Onderstepoort Biological Products Dr Jacob Modumoh has been placed on precautionary suspension by the OBP Board following allegations of misconduct related to the pricing of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines. Agriculture Minister Willie Aucamp announced the suspension after convening an urgent meeting with the board on September 4, 2026 to discuss the allegations against the Acting CEO.
The board informed the CEO of its intention to suspend him, giving him five days to provide reasons for his retention in the position. If the CEO's response was deemed insufficient, the suspension would remain in place pending an independent investigation. Aucamp emphasized that the suspension was a precautionary measure and not a finding of wrongdoing, and highlighted the government's responsibility to protect farmers during the current FMD outbreak, which is the largest in South African history.
The minister stressed that OBP has an obligation to act in the public interest and ensure that vaccines are procured and made available at the most cost-effective and efficient manner possible. FMD Response SA welcomed the minister's intervention, calling for similar independent scrutiny of South Africa's FMD testing system, as the vaccine at the center of the allegations had been procured with public money.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
