Chairperson, Deputy President, Ministers and Deputy Ministers present, colleagues, comrades, friends and compatriots, this Bill has come a long way. There have been lots and lots of consultation since 2006. I must mention here that this Bill is the first since 2009 that our committee has had to deal with. What a pleasure to have had a consensus view on a straightforward yet technical Bill.
On behalf of our glorious movement, that turned 100 this year, it gives me pleasure to debate this Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Amendment Bill. This very year, 2012, our country celebrates 60 years of volunteerism since the Defiance Campaign Against Unjust Laws, ably led by Chief Albert Luthuli and the volunteer-in-chief, Nelson Mandela. Ah Dalibunga! [Praise!]
We derive pleasure from supporting this Bill, mindful of the tasks and challenges that our country, particularly our livestock farming community in the economic sector, is confronted with. Also, since our rural farming communities lack professional veterinary and para-veterinary services, this Bill, in partnership with organisations like Onderstepoort Biological Products, shall go a long way to bringing the required services to communities in far-flung rural areas. We do all of this because our objective is to continue the advancement of an agenda for a better life, primarily for the poor and especially for the rural poor.
Among the objectives of this Bill is compulsory community service. South Africa is on track to compel our veterinary and para-veterinary graduates to volunteer part of their time for community service. We take a leaf from the book of the experiences of Chief Luthuli and our volunteer-in-chief of the defiance campaign of 1952, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. This Bill presents the opportunity for the people of our country to learn from those heroes and heroines and to understand that 60 years of the spirit of volunteerism still lives on in our country. We shall go a long way in creating a sense of patriotism, especially among the youth of our country.
This Bill also presents South Africans with an opportunity not only to preserve and grow this scarce skill, but also to attract nationals from other parts of the world. This therefore calls for the creation of an enabling environment for these foreign nationals to acquire their permanent residency and/or citizenship of our country, South Africa. This does not imply that anyone from anywhere can come and practise as a vet or para-vet in South Africa. Stringent measures will apply and must be met through set standards in our system of higher education.
As true patriots, our vets and para-vets must be called upon to exercise their own consciousness and choose South Africa above all others as the home to practise and grow the profession and be role models to those who come after them.
Without doubt, the rural communities stand to be the direct beneficiary of this legislation. This legislation will bring a professional veterinary and paraveterinary service closer to the communities that are in dire need of it.
While our black rural communal farmers continue to constitute the majority of livestock farmers in South Africa, it is unknown to some of us that the reality is that a mere 10% of our black communal cattle farmers contribute to the beef industry and to the meat we eat in our country. This Bill will therefore seek to improve the position of these black rural communal farmers in the livestock industry; in order words, to increase their production levels.
In conclusion, this Bill will provide for the appointment and the determining of the powers of inspection officers, and for the investigation of complaints of vets and para-vets, thereby asserting accountability in the profession.
On behalf of the ANC, I submit for adoption the Veterinary and Para- Veterinary Professions Amendments Bill, which is a section 75 Bill, in terms of tagging. [Applause.]
Chairperson, one of the many challenges facing the agricultural, forestry and fisheries sector today is the shortage of critical skills, particularly in specialised fields such as the veterinary profession. This Bill seeks to address the insufficient availability of state veterinarians to confront increased animal disease outbreaks.
Currently there are only 2 500 registered vets in South Africa and of those 250 are employed by the state. Only 250 of all vets practise in rural areas. It costs the state R1,6 million to train a vet, therefore implementing a compulsory community service programme to promote access to veterinary services while giving graduates an opportunity to contribute to socioeconomic development in our country must be supported.
Currently South Africa produces only between 90 and 120 graduates per year. This is inadequate to deal with an increasing matrix of challenges. This Bill will go some way towards ensuring better access to veterinary services in rural communities. However, it is not a silver bullet and serious challenges to controlling outbreaks of disease remain.
Due to the shortage of state vets, legislation such as the Animal Diseases Act, Animal Improvement Act and the Meat Safety Act is not being policed by the Agriculture Department. These Acts are being ignored, specifically with regard to the registration of abattoirs and the establishment of an independent meat inspection service.
Livestock farming contributes significantly to local food security and international trade. In the context of globalisation, many countries are imposing animal health measures as a nontariff barrier to trade in order to protect domestic industry. Government's negligence towards animal health in South Africa is therefore costing us valuable export revenue.
The local ostrich industry has already suffered massive losses due to an outbreak of the H5N2 virus. Since the start of the outbreak, more than 50 000 birds have been culled in the Klein Karoo. South Africa has not been able to export ostrich meat to the European Union for the past 18 months, resulting in more than R1 billion in export revenue losses.
Also, more than 40% of the producers have left the ostrich industry, with huge job-loss implications. At the end of February 2011, South Africa lost its status as a foot-and-mouth disease-free country, with disastrous consequences for exports. The Red Meat Industry Forum said the outbreak had contributed to a loss to livestock industries of about R4 billion per year.
The forum also said it was frustrated by attempts to engage with the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tina Joemat-Pettersson. Even as I speak, they have not been able to meet with her, nor is she responding to letters sent to her. [Interjections.]
The controversy surrounding the outbreak of Rift Valley fever last year must be mentioned as an example of how animal disease outbreaks in South Africa should not be handled. Farmers were initially blamed for the failure of the state-run Onderstepoort Biological Products' vaccine to protect animals against Rift Valley fever. But these farmers then proved that the vaccine did not, in fact, provide immunity against Rift Valley fever. Farmers are currently vaccinating without confidence or are forced to import costly generic vaccines, but generics are not specifically developed to treat disease peculiar to South Africa.
Clearly, the devastation of uncontrolled animal disease outbreaks is killing profitability and undermines the ability of commercial agriculture to keep or create jobs. The DA therefore supports the Bill, but we are concerned that it will become yet another superfluous piece of paper. This is because the institutional framework under which this sector has to operate is increasingly dysfunctional.
Just this morning the Minister failed to appear before the portfolio committee. She is ever evasive. This is a good skill for an ANC politician to have on the road to Mangaung, but her lack of leadership is killing significant sectors of the economy. She is never brought to account.
HON MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
To give you an indication of the theatrics in her department, the director-general is acting - thanks to the real director- general being suspended for administrative reasons. Six out of nine directors-general are also acting. One director-general, who is responsible for production, health and safety, has been acting since November last year. There are more acting positions in her department than there are in Hollywood. [Laughter.] [Interjections.]
The DA will continue to insist that the state provides the necessary resources to ensure that the implementation of this Bill plays the role it can in reversing the devastating effects of unchecked animal diseases. We will also continue to call for Minister Joemat-Pettersson to resign because she is clearly not up to the job. [Applause.]
House Chairperson, this Bill supports government in the implementation of compulsory community service through public-private partnerships. According to the Department of Health, only 215 of the 2 400 trained South African vets were working for the state, and very few of them were operating in rural areas. The introduction of compulsory community service aims to address the lack of state veterinary workers, particularly in rural areas.
This Bill intends to address the skewed distribution of veterinary professionals, notably in rural provinces, which remains a key challenge for South African agriculture. Rural provinces require access to a range of veterinary services to support livestock production the and livestock trade. [Interjections.]
Hon member, please sit down for a moment. There is just too much noise from this side. Can you please sit down? Allow the speaker to speak so that he can be heard. Continue, hon Bhanga.
The unavailability of accessible and affordable animal health care services remains a key constraint in our country. Compulsory community service programmes would help retain veterinary skills in South Africa by reminding newly qualified vets of local job opportunities.
The Bill is aligned with the Immigration Act, Act No 13 of 2002, allowing for foreign vets to work, and possibly be exempted from community service. It is in conjunction with the strengthening of investigative powers and allows the SA Veterinary Council to suspend licences in relation to the provision of anaesthetics to alleged poachers. This Bill provides enabling mechanisms to ensure more effective implementation, for example, boosting the capacity of inspectors and providing penalties for those refusing access to inspectors. Hence, the Bill gives the necessary teeth to ensure more adequate enforcement.
Cope supports the Bill in principle. However, Deputy President, you can have the best laws in this country, but these laws have to be implemented by people. As Cope, we believe that Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson is not a capable individual to implement these laws. [Interjections.]
HON MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
She will fail our children just as she continues to fail to attend or account to committees of Parliament. We have never heard of a Minister who refuses to serve the people of this country. We might face a food revolution in this country if you, hon Deputy President and the President, do not act in respect of this Minister.
HON MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
This Minister continues to misuse the finances of this country without responding to the issue of food security. [Interjections.] If the ANC does not act today, Deputy President, we will have a country that will face food security riots like those at Marikana. The ANC must work now in responding to this Minister. [Interjections.]
Hon member, will you take your seat, please? Yes, hon member?
Is it parliamentary for the speaker to forget about addressing the issues and just confront and attack the Minister?
Hon House Chairperson, on a point of order: It is really unacceptable for the Chief Whip of the Majority Party to interrupt a member who has the floor with a frivolous remark that does not constitute a point of order. [Interjections.]
HON MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
Hon Kilian, I will decide what the point of order is, thank you. Hon Chief Whip of the Majority Party, we will look at the Rules. I find that it started with Steyn - she left off speaking about the issue of the Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Amendment Bill, and then the hon Bhanga continued with that. I know that when you address the Chamber on a topic, you are supposed to stick with that topic as far as possible. [Interjections.]
Rubbish! May I raise a point of order, House Chairperson?
And hon Bhanga, your time has expired! [Laughter.]
You are out of order!
Excuse me, I have a point of order!
I now call upon the hon Msimang.
Chair, I have a point of order. Can I address you, please?
If it is on the previous issue, I am not going to take it, because somebody else has the floor. [Interjections.]
It is on the way you addressed it. I beg your pardon. Can I address you? May I address you, please, before you interrupt me? I want to address you on the point that you referred to the hon Steyn, as "Steyn". That is unparliamentary, Madam, coming from you in your profession. I think you should ask for forgiveness.
Well, if I had just said "Steyn" and omitted "honourable" ...
Admit it!
As far as I remember I said "hon Steyn". [Interjections.] All right, let me finish! Will you stop going on like a whole lot of sheep? Let me finish! If I said "Steyn" only, then I do apologise. [Interjections.]
You did, Madam!
Then I apologise.
I thank you!
And please, ask your members to have some order.
Chairperson, on a point of order ...
Will you please sit down. I am not taking another point of order. Can the speaker, Msimang, please continue with the debate? [Interjections.]
On a point of order, Chairperson!
I already have someone at the podium. Will you please sit down!
Chairperson, I am rising on a point of order.
No, no! I am not taking another point of order on the previous issue.
You are obliged to take the point of order, Chairperson. You are obliged by the Rules of this House to take a point of order!
Oh, come on! Mr ... [Interjections.]
You are obliged! You are not doing me a favour, Chair!
No, I am not! I am not!
May I address you on a point of order, Madam?
Chair, you are obliged to take a point of order!
I made it quite clear that if the point of order related to the previous speaker, then I would not take it. There is another speaker waiting to take the podium. So, will you please hold it? Thank you. Carry on, Mr Msimang.
Hon House Chair, hon members, the veterinary and para- veterinary professions are commonly overlooked as areas of viable employment, particularly in the black communities. This situation is not helped by the limited number of veterinarians available to service communities in the country because most of them are either found clustered in urban areas or they emigrate to countries that pay well for their services.
It is encouraging to note that this amendment Bill seeks to address these problems, especially by ensuring that those who join these professions are involved in compulsory community service for a year. This will allow for communities to be further educated in the ways of handling animals, whether in agriculture and related fields or in regard to domesticated pets. Most rural communities who do not have the services of a vet do not know how to handle an injured or sick animal, with some animals ending up being killed due to ignorance.
This Bill will also allow for better regulation of those clinics that provide veterinary services to ensure that professional standards are maintained and no abuse of animals takes place. It will also ensure that foreign nationals are registered and monitored to ensure that they comply with the immigration policies of our country. The IFP supports this Bill.
Hon Chair, hon Minister, Deputy Minister and hon members, the decision to hold a debate on this Bill was an interesting one for the ANC. We would have thought that on such a straightforward matter, on which there is established government policy, we would all be of one mind regarding the necessity of such an amending Bill. Let us therefore restate the intention of the ANC-led government's policy and understand why this amending Bill is necessary.
Those in this profession know well that very specific challenges have arisen since the introduction of the Act in 1982. Critical among these challenges is the shortage of veterinarians in the country to serve the agricultural sector and the industries related to cattle farming. These have become more acute over the years and, unless we deal with the impact of the spread of disease, they could cripple parts of our meat export market and place jobs at risk.
Coupled to this reality is the bad practice that has become established across many disciplines of study. This is that the state allocates a considerable amount of money to both training colleges and universities to invest in the human capacity of our country. However, upon completion of their studies, graduates join the line of qualified individuals emigrating. This has impacted on the rate of newly qualified veterinarians going overseas and a loss of skills that we cannot afford to continue.
In addition, the urbanisation drift that the National Development Plan identifies and predicts will have serious consequences in the future and has already impacted on the profession. The flow towards and skewed distribution of available veterinarians in favour of more urbanised areas, unless addressed, will and has already had a negative impact on the farming sector.
In the endeavour to correct this and ensure a more equitable distribution of veterinary services throughout South Africa, and to respond to these challenges, the amending Bill has three main thrusts: Firstly, the introduction of a compulsory community service programme in order to improve the delivery of veterinary services through regulation; secondly, to manage the migration of newly qualified professionals; and lastly, to address the skewed distribution of registered professionals.
As part of our public submissions process, we were encouraged that the SA Veterinary Association fully supported all the intended amendments to the Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Act. Indeed, they expressed eagerness regarding the intended amendments relating to compulsory community service. Their members are ready to support the implementation of compulsory community service and offered to put their expertise, mentoring abilities and facilities at the disposal of government. We welcome this positive spirit. What will be important is the planning of all this, and we have every confidence that good planning will be the case.
The appointment of an inspector, and the defining the related duties of such an inspector, is also a matter that has become a necessity. We therefore welcome the support shown for this in our public process. We shall therefore be in a position not only to investigate any possible contravention of all Acts by members of the professions but also to investigate the contravention of the Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Act by lay persons and professionals who are not registered with the SA Veterinary Council. The speedy implementation of this, once the Bill is enacted, is very necessary.
The logic of the amending Bill is that it also seeks to address matters that have developed over the past 30 years since the principal Act was passed, among others the establishment of an appeal committee; providing for registered foreign veterinarians to continue practising by attaining either citizenship or permanent residency; and the vitally critical area of human resource development for continuing professional development. This is an area that we must ensure remains at the cutting edge of scientific development.
In addition, ensuring a professional and labour relations-compliant approach to matters of the suspension of registered persons, the termination of such suspensions and the appointment and powers of inspection officers are all matters that can only enhance the functioning of the veterinary professions.
Any concern on the implementation and operation of the amending Bill - security, accommodation, salaries and the availability of infrastructure - are matters that can be dealt with operationally, and a practice has been established to deal with these.
It is for these reasons that the ANC supports the Bill. I don't think that is acceptable for the hon members on the other side to abuse this platform by attacking the Minister instead of focusing on the Bill. They should seek another platform to do that. [Applause.]
Chairperson, the UDM fully supports the proposal to introduce compulsory community service for newly qualified veterinary graduates. Working under the mentorship and guidance of professionals, both from the public and private sectors, students will learn a lot from the professionals' wealth of experience.
However, the success of the mentorship programme with professionals in private practice depends on the development of a sound public-private partnership in order to ensure the effective implementation of community service. As with other plans and policies developed in the past, the objectives of this Bill will only be achieved through implementation. Therefore, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries should deliver on its promise to organise forums that will deal with operational matters and community service programmes, as well as consultation and agreements on public-private partnership.
The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries should also consult traditional leaders on this programme, because this Bill targets rural communities. All agreements should be captured in a written memorandum of understanding to give all parties a core perspective of what needs to be achieved.
Finally, the stakeholders of this department and the members of this portfolio committee are all frustrated. I join the call of my colleagues for the Minister to resign.
Ukuba akabeki phantsi Sekela Mongameli ufuna imvuselelo, ubize icawa nimthandezele. Enkosi. [If she does not resign, Deputy President, she needs a revival. Call the church and pray for her.]
The MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES: Chairperson, the Bill has been extensively consulted and benchmarking with the Department of Health has been done. The Department of Health has assisted us in the manner in which we will deal with teething challenges, which we know we will be experiencing. The experiences and approaches by the Department of Health to these challenges are good examples to us for when the compulsory community service is to be implemented. In particular, we should take into consideration all the concerns that have been raised by the various communities.
I wish to also emphasise that the fact that the private practitioners who have been consulted have given their unconditional support to this Bill is quite promising.
Hon President and Deputy President, this Bill addresses the triple challenge of unemployment, poverty and inequality. The inequality between commercial and subsistence or smallholder farmers will definitely be attended to, since smallholder farmers will have the opportunity to receive veterinary services, which more often than not they cannot afford.
The matter of unemployment will also be addressed because, right now, unemployed qualified graduates are a challenge to us. We seek to use this Bill to have qualified graduates entering our system via community service. [Interjections.]
Lastly, the matter of poverty and the poor who cannot afford veterinary services will be addressed. The problems we have had, especially in certain industries like the ostrich industry, is that the post-apartheid Acts we have compel us to assist our commercial farmers, which we have done to the tune of more than R70 million. We have subsidised commercial farmers in the ostrich industry, because they have culled their ostriches. However, laws do not assist us to supplement the income of the smallholder farmers who do not cull ostriches because they are not in the Western Cape. More often than not they reside in the Eastern Cape and in the Northern Cape, where there is no virus.
This kind of law will bring in an element of equality and redress. It will also give us the opportunity to vaccinate the animals of the smallholder farmers, as well as the livestock of communities. It is these types of imbalances that we are addressing, which seemingly make it quite difficult to transform this sector. This is a sector that has belonged to certain individuals historically. I think the transformation of this sector has been challenging, but it is one that we will continue with in a steadfast manner, because we will address the poverty of the rural poor.
We would like to congratulate the Members of Parliament and the department for the sterling work done in addressing the triple challenge of inequality, unemployment and poverty. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
Bill read a second time.