Post by cjm on May 11, 2023 8:27:36 GMT
Minister Didiza releases MTT report after continued DA pressure
So, what the report boils down to:
And the reasons:
So, what the report boils down to:
A common thread running through all the interviews of the Task Team with industry stakeholders, government
officials, and research establishments, is that the veterinary system and animal biosecurity system is broken. In its current format and design, it poses a major threat to the future of inclusive growth in the livestock industry in South Africa. The evidence of the broken system can be ascribed to systemic (institutional) issues, legislative constraints, budget problems, a trust deficit, non-alignment between stakeholders, and execution and
implementation failures. These aspects are manifested through the following:
• Poor and unscientific decision-making by officials
• Poor coordination between national and provincial governments and slow response to emergency
situations
• Poor maintenance of red line and border fences, laboratory infrastructure and equipment and research
facilities
• No risk analysis unit within DALRRD to be able to analyse diseases and relevant data for disease
predictions and timely containment and preventative actions
• Non-availability of vaccines for notifiable diseases
• Poor disease surveillance and no early warning system
• Non-compliance by livestock owners in applying on-farm biosecurity measures to prevent the
introduction or spread of animal diseases
• Lack of movement control of animals from infected areas
• Inadequate or non-compliance at points of animal sales to verify health status of animals
• A lack of understanding of harmonising of disease control needs with that of traditional beliefs and
concepts in communal areas and in peri-urban areas of South Africa.
officials, and research establishments, is that the veterinary system and animal biosecurity system is broken. In its current format and design, it poses a major threat to the future of inclusive growth in the livestock industry in South Africa. The evidence of the broken system can be ascribed to systemic (institutional) issues, legislative constraints, budget problems, a trust deficit, non-alignment between stakeholders, and execution and
implementation failures. These aspects are manifested through the following:
• Poor and unscientific decision-making by officials
• Poor coordination between national and provincial governments and slow response to emergency
situations
• Poor maintenance of red line and border fences, laboratory infrastructure and equipment and research
facilities
• No risk analysis unit within DALRRD to be able to analyse diseases and relevant data for disease
predictions and timely containment and preventative actions
• Non-availability of vaccines for notifiable diseases
• Poor disease surveillance and no early warning system
• Non-compliance by livestock owners in applying on-farm biosecurity measures to prevent the
introduction or spread of animal diseases
• Lack of movement control of animals from infected areas
• Inadequate or non-compliance at points of animal sales to verify health status of animals
• A lack of understanding of harmonising of disease control needs with that of traditional beliefs and
concepts in communal areas and in peri-urban areas of South Africa.
And the reasons:
Each of the potential causes of the poor state of South Africa’s animal biosecurity system is discussed in more detail in Section 5 of the report and should be read with attention and care. This is the core of our assessment of the
problems with animal biosecurity in South Africa and boils down to six core problems or shortcomings:
• There is no clear chain of command, largely because of duplication and overlapping responsibilities in the
management and coordination functions
• There is a lack of transparency in the policy formulation of veterinary operational policies, procedures,
and notices
• There is a lack of contingency planning
• There is a lack of timeous communication of critical interventions
iii
• The decision-making processes are characterised by a lack of trust between stakeholders, especially those
between the public and private sectors
• A tendency to favour international obligations at all cost over domestic realities
problems with animal biosecurity in South Africa and boils down to six core problems or shortcomings:
• There is no clear chain of command, largely because of duplication and overlapping responsibilities in the
management and coordination functions
• There is a lack of transparency in the policy formulation of veterinary operational policies, procedures,
and notices
• There is a lack of contingency planning
• There is a lack of timeous communication of critical interventions
iii
• The decision-making processes are characterised by a lack of trust between stakeholders, especially those
between the public and private sectors
• A tendency to favour international obligations at all cost over domestic realities