Farmer's Weekly (South Africa)
SAVC president to serve on global veterinary body
The president of the South African Veterinary Council (SAVC), Dr Nandipha Ndudane, has been elected to represent Africa on the World Veterinary Association (WVA) council from 2024 to 2026.
Ndudane, who said she was “excited and humbled”, was not celebrating her first milestone as she was the first female president of the SAVC in its 91-year history. She continues to break barriers while flying the flag for African and South African excellence on the global stage with this appointment.
“Coming from the small rural town of Mount Frere and being chosen to serve in a global veterinary organisation shows that it can be done, and I’m looking forward to serving the diverse interests of African countries on the WVA council,” said Ndudane.
She was nominated by the SAVC for the position and had to motivate for her selection based on how her values aligned with those of the WVA and its strategic areas of interest.
Her appointment was cemented with the backing of veterinary associations in other African countries with whom the SAVC had established strong working relationships in recent years. She will be representing African interests on the WVA council alongside Dr James Ouma of the Kenya Veterinary Association.
Ndudane’s appointment comes at a time of renewed collaboration among veterinary bodies in the Southern
African Development Community, due to an ongoing project with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN that has seen the SAVC collaborating to strengthen the relationships between regional veterinary statutory bodies to harmonise standards in the region.
“I’ve always been passionate about going the extra mile to ensure inclusion and that a diversity of voices are heard, in the interests of consensus and unity. I see this new WVA role as a platform for African veterinary and paraveterinary professionals to collaborate and grow together,” she said.
“It’s important for us to have a seat at the global table so that our veterinary councils and associations can engage on challenges we experience more acutely in Africa, such as rabies, a zoonotic disease [one that is transmitted between animals and humans] that is still prevalent on our continent.”
The WVA’s 2024 congress is taking place in Cape Town from 16 to
19 April 2024. –