The managing director of the South African Veterinary Association (SAVA), Gert Steyn, says it is taking steps to get veterinary professionals back on the critical skills list.
The profession was removed from the list last year.
Steyn said the association had not received a response or acknowledgment of receipt from the government on their proposal yet.
He said the number of students doing veterinary studies was dwindling, which could have an impact on food security and safety.
“Over 60% of positions that are advertised – this is now the combination rural and urban – are still vacant after 12 months, but if you are a veterinarian trying to find a job, 50% of them find a job within one month.
“So, it shows that there’s a critical imbalance. In theory in a fairly even labour market, one would expect this to be fairly equal – around three to six months – but this is obviously an anomaly,” Steyn explained.
The University of Pretoria’s Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute is the only institution offering a Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree in South Africa.
Steyn said vets not being on the critical skills list also had an impact on sourcing lecturers for the course, even if another faculty were to open.
“There are massive concerns from both academics and general veterinarians where about how do we staff that faculty because as it is, it’s difficult to fill certain positions in Onderstepoort have remained unfilled for a bit of time.”
Roughly 10% of the veterinary students enrolled at the institution are from overseas.
However, they are not employable by the government as they struggle to get work visas as a result of not being on the critical skills list, despite studying in South Africa for six years, and there is no way of expediting the visa, Steyn told Cape Talk’s John Maytham.
This is because they are unable to complete their compulsory community service in the country.
-EWN
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