VN June 2023

Vetnuus | June 2023 2 The Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development appointed a Task Team on Animal Health Biosecurity in September 2021. The final report was released on 18 May 2022. The Task Team investigated three issues: • the change in the epidemiological evolution of animal disease challenges, • the ability of the country to diagnose such diseases on time, and • the country’s preparedness to put in place realistic and scientifically justifiable remedial biosecurity measures. The main finding of the Task Team’s deliberations was that the country failed at all three tasks. The core assessment of the problems with animal biosecurity in South Africa 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, • The decision-making processes are characterised by a lack of trust between stakeholders, especially those between the public and private sectors, and • A tendency to favour international obligations at all costs over domestic realities. Although all these factors were brought to the fore in the WOAH’s PVS evaluation in 2014, the scale of failure is shocking.What is most concerning is the statement that there is a lack of trust between stakeholders, a remark made and debated in various meetings I attended the past month. Trust can be defined as the assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something. But how can it be measured, influenced or corrected? Some ideas can be formulated from the definition of trust as a noun, where trust is a fiduciary relationship between two parties. One of the parties, the trustor, grants the other party, a trustee, the right of a specific asset or property for the welfare of a third party, i.e. the beneficiary. The fiduciary relationship between the various parties impacting veterinary biosecurity needs to be reviewed to address trust. The trustor, the government, should grant the other parties impacting veterinary biosecurity the necessary resources, which might even just be good VPNs or PPPs, for the welfare of a third party, being the industry but ultimately our fellow citizens who are reliant on safe and sound products of animal origin. If that relationship is not functioning optimally, it must be interrogated and changed. We cannot let it continue as before and expect a different result. The trustor, government, need to take stock of its situation and capabilities (The report is a good start in taking stock), make the changes it can, and, for those it cannot make, be the change agent allowing trustees of veterinary biosecurity to step in and assist to the benefit of animal health and welfare, human health and the environment. SAVA is committed to being part of the change to instil trust in veterinary biosecurity. v Kind regards, Paul van der Merwe From the President Dear members, "We're paying the highest tribute you can pay a man. We trust him to do right. It's that simple." - Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird 24-Hour, Toll-Free Helpline: 0800 21 21 21