Note to Broadcasters: Please find the attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Jóhni Steenkamp.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the North West has formally written to the MEC for Agriculture, and Rural Development, Madoda Sambatha, as well as the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Sipho Dial, demanding urgent accountability for the province’s veterinary capacity amid the ongoing Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak.
While the national Minister of Agriculture has confirmed the arrival of one million vaccine doses and the expansion of vaccination efforts, the successful rollout of vaccines depends on provincial implementation capacity.
In terms of Schedule 5 of the Constitution, veterinary services are an exclusive provincial competence. This means that the appointment of state veterinarians, the filling of vacancies, and the designation of private veterinarians fall squarely within the responsibility of provincial government.
North West currently has 106 open FMD outbreaks. Farmers are asking legitimate questions:
- How many state veterinarian posts are filled?
- How many posts are vacant?
- How long does it take for private veterinarians to be designated?
- Is the province adequately staffed to implement the vaccination rollout?
In my letter to the MEC, I have requested detailed information on the number of state veterinarians and animal health technicians currently in service, vacancy rates per district, and the process for private veterinarians to apply for designation in terms of the Animal Diseases Act.
I have further requested that the MEC be summoned to appear before the Portfolio Committee to account for the province’s preparedness and veterinary capacity.
Farmers do not care about intergovernmental politics, they need veterinarians on the ground.
If vaccines are arriving but provincial veterinary posts remain vacant, effective containment of the outbreak will not occur. The province must demonstrate that it has prioritised this exclusive constitutional function.
The DA will continue to exercise firm but constructive oversight to ensure that North West’s livestock sector is protected and that farmers receive the support they urgently need.