According to the Animal Diseases Act, 1984 (Act 35 of 1984) Controlled and Notifiable Diseases must be reported to the local State Veterinarian. The local State Veterinarian compiles a monthly report on diseases that occurred in his/her State Vet Area and submits this report to the Provincial Director of Veterinary Services. At a Provincial level, all these reports are combined to compile a disease report for the province and this report is submitted to the Sub-Directorate Epidemiology in the Directorate Animal Health at the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development. All the provincial reports are combined to compile a national disease report. Purpose of disease reporting

Reasons for disease reporting are:

• Proof of freedom
• Detection of outbreaks of important diseases
  • Prevent the spread of the disease
  • Institute control programs
  • Eradication of a disease
  • Warn neighbouring farmers/trade partners/neighbouring countries
  • Prevent the spread/occurrence of a disease in humans, e.g. rabies
  • Decrease the economic impact of a disease
  • Prevent spread of diseases to trading partners
• Disease control