Thirteen unemployed youth in the Eastern Cape are trading joblessness for entrepreneurship after receiving a combined R512 000 investment to launch their own primary animal healthcare facilities.
The investment, aimed at tackling unemployment while bridging the gap in rural veterinary services, was recently highlighted at a handover event where Nonkqubela Pieters, MEC for economic development, environmental affairs and tourism, presented starter kits, equipment, and vouchers to the young entrepreneurs.
The move follows a critical 2022 legislative reform that created a framework for animal health technicians (AHTs) to operate as private-sector entrepreneurs, enabling expanded access to animal health services, creating jobs, and opening economic opportunities for graduates.
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Bridging the gap in rural animal care
South African Veterinary Council Registrar/CEO, Mongezi Menye, described the ceremony as a milestone in the transformation of the South African veterinary landscape. He added that a 2021 survey by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) showed between 32% and 60% of AHT graduates were sitting at home, while rural farmers remained critically underserved.
“For too long, the story of the animal health technician in this country was one of untapped potential,” Menye said, adding that the success of these technicians will now be measured by the health of animals in rural communities.
The initiative is a collaborative effort between the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), the FAO, and the Agriculture and Rural Development Institute (TARDI).
The first cohort of 13 beneficiaries has already undergone specialised training at the TARDI, focusing on both animal health and business development. To get their businesses off the ground, the technicians received equipment, including animal branding kits, dousing guns, castration tools, biosecurity gear, mini fridges, and microscopes.
A critical intervention for farmers
Pieters emphasised that establishing these facilities within local communities is a critical intervention for the province.
“It decentralises service delivery, reduces the cost and time burden on farmers and strengthens the first line of defence against animal disease and livestock losses,” Pieters said. “We are enhancing biosecurity and disease surveillance capacity at a community level.”
The impact is already being felt by beneficiaries like Zimasa Qwayele, who owns a facility in the Alfred Nzo District. Qwayele expressed appreciation for the intergovernmental support, noting that the equipment will allow her company to operate as a fully fledged facility.
Beyond local clinics, the programme is expected to bolster national efforts against outbreaks. Deputy director general for agriculture, Mthozami Goqwana, noted that these technicians will now have the opportunity to work alongside the government in fighting foot-and-mouth disease, a battle previously dominated by the state and private veterinarians.
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