The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ South African Veterinary Services, the Department of Agriculture, Water and Forestry’s Namibian Veterinary Services, as well as the South African livestock industry met on 10 June 2014 to discuss matters relating to livestock imports from Namibia into South Africa. The meeting was facilitated by Dr Gideon Bruckner, a world renowned independent expert with international experience on matters relating to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and World Organisation on Animal Health (OIE).
The meeting resolved that the import requirements will be streamlined to facilitate trade while safe guarding South Africa’s animal health status. The meeting determined that there will be a single Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which will cover cattle and sheep destined for slaughter purposes. For the purpose of the SOP, the term “slaughter purposes” is understood to include livestock intended for direct slaughter or for confinement to a feedlot before slaughtering.
In the discussions and upon thoroughly subjecting the proposed SOP to scrutiny, it was resolved that there were certain substantive aspects which required further inputs and consideration from the South African Veterinary Services and the South African livestock industries. Subsequent to refining the inputs from both parties, the SOP will further be consulted with the South African Provincial Veterinary Authorities.
In summary, the following determinations were made at the meeting:
- The South African livestock industry will submit information on minimum structural and management requirements for the feedlots/abattoir to the department, while the department will prescribe the contingency measures in cases of non-compliance of feedlots and abattoirs.
- The department will consolidate the Standard Operating Procedure for feedlot and abattoir purposes into one SOP.
- The department will reconvene a meeting to finalise the Standard Operating Procedure between all parties before the end of June 2014.
- The consolidated SOP will then be consulted with the provincial departments for concurrence.
All the stakeholders committed to the process of finalising the SOP and to attending the next meeting, where the SOP will be finalised. The participants would like to thank Dr Bruckner for the good facilitation and for the good spirit in which this difficult subject was discussed.
For media enquiries and further information please contact:
Makenosi Maroo
Tel.: 012 319 6787
Cell: 072 475 2956
E-mail: MakenosiM@daff.gov.za
