Who are we?
The South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) is a Veterinary Statutory Body in South Africa, with powers and functions for the registration of persons practising the veterinary and para-veterinary professions. The SAVC has legal authority over the practising of veterinary and para-veterinary professions, and for matters connected therewith.
The South African Veterinary Board, which is the forerunner of the SAVC, was established in 1933 in terms of the Veterinary Act 1933 (Act No. 16 of 1933). The SAVC then later became an independent, self-funding statutory body in 1982 under the Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Act 1982 (Act No.19 of 1982). The current SAVC, therefore, has a proud and rich history of playing a role in the regulation of the veterinary profession in South Africa.
It is compulsory in South Africa for all practising veterinary and para-veterinary professionals to be registered with the SAVC as stated in the Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Act, Act 19 of 1982. The SAVC is therefore the custodian of the veterinary and para-veterinary professions in South Africa and enables the veterinary team to practise ethically, by setting and monitoring veterinary standards, to create a safe environment for animals and people.
Our Vision
Our vision is to be the custodian of quality veterinary and para-veterinary standards.
Our Mission
Through the Act, our mission is to protect the interest of those dependent on animals by
- Safeguarding the health and welfare of all animals and the environment
- Assuring veterinary public health
- Regulating the educational, ethical and clinical standards of the veterinary and para-veterinary professions.
Our Stakeholders
SAVC Recognised Associations
| Profession | Association |
| Veterinarian | South African Veterinary Association (SAVA) https://www.sava.co.za/ |
| Black Veterinary Forum (BVF) https://web.facebook.com/groups/1584501235098630/?_rdc=1&_rdr | |
| Animal Health Technician | South African Association of Animal Health Technicians (SAAAHT) https://m.facebook.com/people/South-African-Association-for-Animal-Health-Technicians/100064170000977/ |
| Laboratory Animal Technologist | South African Association for Laboratory Animal Science (SAALAS) https://www.saalas.org/ |
| Veterinary Physiotherapist | South African Animal Physical Rehabilitation Association (SAAPRA) https://saapra.co.za/ |
| Veterinary Technologist | South African Association of Veterinary Technologists (SAAVT) http://www.saavt.co.za/ |
| Veterinary Nurse | Veterinary Nurses Association of South Africa (VNASA) http://vnasa.org/ |
Other
| National Animal Health Forum (NAHF) https://nahf.co.za/ | |
| World Veterinary Association (WVA) https://worldvet.org/ | |
| World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) https://www.woah.org/en/home/ |
Tertiary Institutions
| Veterinarian | Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria (Onderstepoort campus) https://www.up.ac.za/ |
| Animal Health Technician | UNISA https://www.unisa.ac.za/ |
| North-West University https://www.nwu.ac.za | |
| Tsolo Agriculture and Rural Development Institute (TARDI) https://www.tardi.ac.za/ | |
| Veterinary Physiotherapist | Equine-Librium College https://equine-librium.co.za/ |
| Veterinary Technologist | Tshwane University of Technology https://www.tut.ac.za/ |
| Veterinary Nurse | Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria (Onderstepoort campus) https://www.up.ac.za/ |
| Government | Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) http://www.dalrrd.gov.za/ |
Our 2024 fees
What is One Health?
The first global annual One Health Day took place on the 3rd of November 2016. The objectives were to promote efforts around the world to bring together all human, animal and environmental health disciplines, and to raise awareness about the One Health approach to complex health problems involving people, animals and the environment.
There are several definitions documented for One Health, but in its most basic description the One Health approach recognises the relationships between human, animal and environmental health, and applies interdisciplinary tools to solve complex public health problems. The traditional public health model deals with health issues in the context of animal and human populations and the environment in which they occur, with a recognition that there are interfaces where at times these domains may overlap. In contrast, the One Health concept supports a position that states that the health of animals, humans and the environment are interlinked and not limited to interfaces, and that disease problems impacting the health of humans, animals, and the environment must be solved through improved communication, cooperation, and collaboration across disciplines and institutions.
Why should veterinary and para-veterinary professionals concern themselves with the One Health concept, and its objective to benefit animals, humans and the environment?
Traditional approaches and past requisite skills and levels of knowledge may not be commensurate with the rapid changes and new demands of food-animal industries and the shifting requirements needed for public health, biomedical research and the global food system (KPMG study, 1999). It has been documented that of all the diseases now recognised in humans, approximately 60% are due to multi-host pathogens characterised by their movement across species lines (Torrey EF, Yolken RH, 2005. Beasts of the Earth, New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press). In addition, over the last three decades, approximately 75% of new emerging human infectious diseases have been zoonotic (Taylor et al, 2001, Risk factors for human disease emergence. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 356: 983-989). More efforts are therefore made to address zoonotic diseases in an interdisciplinary way as exemplified by the recent diagnosis of human Brucella melitensis infection in the Western Cape Province (Wojno et al, 2016). The authors of this case report emphasised the need for strengthening integration between public health, medical and veterinary services and exposing deficiencies in public health, veterinary and laboratory practices.
When the One Health concept was conceptualised in the 1960s, it focused on opportunities that existed to protect public health through policies aimed at preventing and controlling pathogens at the level of animal populations. The control of infectious diseases was therefore central to One Health. The perception was that our increasing interdependence with animals and their products may well be the single most critical risk factor to our health and well-being with regards to infectious diseases. The One Health approach is, however, not limited to infectious diseases, as non-communicable conditions are also crossing species barriers with adverse effects to both animals and humans, e.g. climate change, agro- and bio-terrorism, obesity and toxicities.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the UN and the World Health Organisation (WHO) emphasised in its tripartite 2019 policy statement that Member States must enhance and support the integration of animal, human and environmental health for the mutual benefit of all.
The SAVC embraces the One Health concept
The SAVC as the statutory body for the veterinary and para-veterinary professions has a responsibility to ensure that veterinarians and para-veterinary professionals registered by the Council are sufficiently informed to be able to play meaningful roles in multidisciplinary teams dealing especially with high impact infectious and non-infectious diseases at interfaces. To achieve this objective, the SAVC plays an oversight role to ensure that the One Health agenda is incorporated into the veterinary and para-veterinary curricula.
The SAVC also encourages veterinary interest groups and branches of the different veterinary associations to consider the participation of environmentalists, ecologists and human health professionals in its meetings/conferences where aspects of One Health are included on the agenda.
The South African Veterinary Council has also shown its commitment to the control of resistance to antimicrobial medicines when it signed the SA Antimicrobial Resistance National Strategy Framework, thereby linking it with several organisations in the human health and environmental domains that will work towards resistance control in the future. Resistance to antimicrobial medicines is the quintessential One Health issue on the globe, and the SAVC has positioned itself through its Food Safety and Food Security Committee to collaborate with other regulatory and professional organisations in activities that address antimicrobial medicine dispensing and prescribing behaviour of its members, including training opportunities as part of continuing professional development.
In the final analysis, the SAVC supports the expansion of the trans-disciplinary networks of all veterinarians and para-veterinarians, and a greater awareness of the interconnectivity of human, animal and environmental health.
Our language policy
As the regulatory body for the veterinary and para-veterinary professions we saw the need to have a standardised format and terminology structure when dealing with registrees of the professions and the public to avoid confusion and misunderstanding. For this reason, English has been chosen as SAVC’s official business language.
We are able to orally communicate in English, Afrikaans and isiZulu when dealing with the public, registrees or other key stakeholders. If we do receive a written query or a verbal request from individuals in another language, we will ask a staff member, who is proficient in that language to act as the interpreter. If we do not have a staff member available that can speak / write the language, we will direct the request towards a language expert who can assist.
Our business activities in English include:
- all meetings, workshops and conferences both within the SAVC and for the general public;
- agenda documents for meetings and minutes and records of meetings;
- publications, e.g. policies, criteria and guideline documents and research findings;
- the SAVC Annual Report;
- information on the SAVC website;
- communication with the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD);
- communication with other government departments;
- completion of official forms;
- advertisements of the SAVC vacancies in the media;
- notices in the government gazette;
- registration certificates, letters of good standing, contracts;
- inquiries into unprofessional conduct, suspension hearings and appeals; and
- official signage in the SAVC building identifying facilities and services.
Our Privacy Policy
We are abiding with best practice when it comes to the collection and processing of personal information in agreement with data protection or privacy legislation. We are committed to protecting the privacy of our visitors to the SAVC website and of its web portal for its registrees.
Before you share any personal information on any linked websites, read their privacy policies. Personal information means all information that can lead to identifying a person. Some information is acceptable to share this includes your name, surname, date of birth, marital status, race, gender, etc.
SAVC will require some personal information from its registrees in order to fulfil our functions in the Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Act, Act 19 of 1982. We store the information only for the time period requested by law, both electronically and manually or in some cases a combination of both. SAVC will not share your personal information with third parties. We also have security measures in place to ensure the protection of all your information.
If your personal information has changed, please contact us or update your personal information by logging in to your Registree Portal account. Should you be unable to access the SAVC’s Registree portal, kindly contact us.
This manual was prepared in accordance with section 14 of the Promotion of Access to Information Act, Act 2 of 2000 and to address requirements of the Protection of Personal Information Act, Act 4 of 2013.
Annual Report
Our strategic objectives
We embrace One Health
What is One Health?
The first global annual One Health Day took place on the 3rd of November 2016. The objectives were to promote efforts around the world to bring together all human, animal and environmental health disciplines, and to raise awareness about the One Health approach to complex health problems involving people, animals and the environment.
There are several definitions documented for One Health, but in its most basic description the One Health approach recognises the relationships between human, animal and environmental health, and applies interdisciplinary tools to solve complex public health problems. The traditional public health model deals with health issues in the context of animal and human populations and the environment in which they occur, with a recognition that there are interfaces where at times these domains may overlap. In contrast, the One Health concept supports a position that states that the health of animals, humans and the environment are interlinked and not limited to interfaces, and that disease problems impacting the health of humans, animals, and the environment must be solved through improved communication, cooperation, and collaboration across disciplines and institutions.
Why should veterinary and para-veterinary professionals concern themselves with the One Health concept, and its objective to benefit animals, humans and the environment?
Traditional approaches and past requisite skills and levels of knowledge may not be commensurate with the rapid changes and new demands of food-animal industries and the shifting requirements needed for public health, biomedical research and the global food system (KPMG study, 1999). It has been documented that of all the diseases now recognised in humans, approximately 60% are due to multi-host pathogens characterised by their movement across species lines (Torrey EF, Yolken RH, 2005. Beasts of the Earth, New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press). In addition, over the last three decades, approximately 75% of new emerging human infectious diseases have been zoonotic (Taylor et al, 2001, Risk factors for human disease emergence. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 356: 983-989). More efforts are therefore made to address zoonotic diseases in an interdisciplinary way as exemplified by the recent diagnosis of human Brucella melitensis infection in the Western Cape Province (Wojno et al, 2016). The authors of this case report emphasised the need for strengthening integration between public health, medical and veterinary services and exposing deficiencies in public health, veterinary and laboratory practices.
When the One Health concept was conceptualised in the 1960s, it focused on opportunities that existed to protect public health through policies aimed at preventing and controlling pathogens at the level of animal populations. The control of infectious diseases was therefore central to One Health. The perception was that our increasing interdependence with animals and their products may well be the single most critical risk factor to our health and well-being with regards to infectious diseases. The One Health approach is, however, not limited to infectious diseases, as non-communicable conditions are also crossing species barriers with adverse effects to both animals and humans, e.g. climate change, agro- and bio-terrorism, obesity and toxicities.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the UN and the World Health Organisation (WHO) emphasised in its tripartite 2019 policy statement that Member States must enhance and support the integration of animal, human and environmental health for the mutual benefit of all.
The SAVC embraces the One Health concept
The SAVC as the statutory body for the veterinary and para-veterinary professions has a responsibility to ensure that veterinarians and para-veterinary professionals registered by the Council are sufficiently informed to be able to play meaningful roles in multidisciplinary teams dealing especially with high impact infectious and non-infectious diseases at interfaces. To achieve this objective, the SAVC plays an oversight role to ensure that the One Health agenda is incorporated into the veterinary and para-veterinary curricula.
The SAVC also encourages veterinary interest groups and branches of the different veterinary associations to consider the participation of environmentalists, ecologists and human health professionals in its meetings/conferences where aspects of One Health are included on the agenda.
The South African Veterinary Council has also shown its commitment to the control of resistance to antimicrobial medicines when it signed the SA Antimicrobial Resistance National Strategy Framework, thereby linking it with several organisations in the human health and environmental domains that will work towards resistance control in the future. Resistance to antimicrobial medicines is the quintessential One Health issue on the globe, and the SAVC has positioned itself through its Food Safety and Food Security Committee to collaborate with other regulatory and professional organisations in activities that address antimicrobial medicine dispensing and prescribing behaviour of its members, including training opportunities as part of continuing professional development.
In the final analysis, the SAVC supports the expansion of the trans-disciplinary networks of all veterinarians and para-veterinarians, and a greater awareness of the interconnectivity of human, animal and environmental health.
Our policies
Our language policy
As the regulatory body for the veterinary and para-veterinary professions we saw the need to have a standardised format and terminology structure when dealing with registrees of the professions and the public to avoid confusion and misunderstanding. For this reason, English has been chosen as SAVC’s official business language.
We are able to orally communicate in English, Afrikaans and isiZulu when dealing with the public, registrees or other key stakeholders. If we do receive a written query or a verbal request from individuals in another language, we will ask a staff member, who is proficient in that language to act as the interpreter. If we do not have a staff member available that can speak / write the language, we will direct the request towards a language expert who can assist.
Our business activities in English include:
- all meetings, workshops and conferences both within the SAVC and for the general public;
- agenda documents for meetings and minutes and records of meetings;
- publications, e.g. policies, criteria and guideline documents and research findings;
- the SAVC Annual Report;
- information on the SAVC website;
- communication with the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD);
- communication with other government departments;
- completion of official forms;
- advertisements of the SAVC vacancies in the media;
- notices in the government gazette;
- registration certificates, letters of good standing, contracts;
- inquiries into unprofessional conduct, suspension hearings and appeals; and
- official signage in the SAVC building identifying facilities and services.
Our Privacy Policy
We are abiding with best practice when it comes to the collection and processing of personal information in agreement with data protection or privacy legislation. We are committed to protecting the privacy of our visitors to the SAVC website and of its web portal for its registrees.
Before you share any personal information on any linked websites, read their privacy policies. Personal information means all information that can lead to identifying a person. Some information is acceptable to share this includes your name, surname, date of birth, marital status, race, gender, etc.
SAVC will require some personal information from its registrees in order to fulfil our functions in the Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Act, Act 19 of 1982. We store the information only for the time period requested by law, both electronically and manually or in some cases a combination of both. SAVC will not share your personal information with third parties. We also have security measures in place to ensure the protection of all your information.
If your personal information has changed, please contact us or update your personal information by logging in to your Registree Portal account. Should you be unable to access the SAVC’s Registree portal, kindly contact us.
PAIA and POPI Manual
This manual was prepared in accordance with section 14 of the Promotion of Access to Information Act, Act 2 of 2000 and to address requirements of the Protection of Personal Information Act, Act 4 of 2013.
