In memoriam :Johan Krige: 1 September 1937 - 21 April 2021

Abstract

Johan Krige was born in Pretoria and was a pupil of Afrikaans Hoër in Pretoria. He obtained his BVSc at Onderstepoort in December 1962. After a short try at private veterinary practice, he joined the government service as a state veterinarian – first in Potgietersrus and then in Lydenburg where he met Tessa Buys. They got married in 1966 and was blessed with 4 children and 4 grandchildren. He worked as state veterinarian thereafter in Standerton, Louis Trichardt, Greytown to finally end up again as state veterinarian in Lydenburg. In Lydenburg, Johan established himself as one of the most capable, experienced and knowledgeable state veterinarians on foot and mouth disease control in the South African veterinary services. He was responsible for the management, control and containment of several outbreaks of the disease in the Lowveld area where he worked closely with surrounding state and private veterinarians – including the state veterinary service in the Kruger National Park. In 1981, Johan was transferred to the headquarters of veterinary services in Pretoria where he was promoted to Deputy Director in the veterinary services and made responsible for overall national animal disease control and animal health legislation. During this period he was offered the chance to write a new Act on Animal Disease Control for South Africa to reflect the needs of animal disease control within the new democratic Constitutional environment of the country. For almost three years he dedicated himself to this, resulting in the eventual signing of the Animal Health Act (Act 7 of 2002) by the then President, Mr Thabo Mbeki. He was also a active member of the Veterinary History Society.