R3 million relief for farmers affected by drought
The Premier, Stan Mathabatha has declared Limpopo a drought disaster area through national prescripts
POLOKWANE – The Premier, Stan Mathabatha has declared Limpopo a drought disaster area through national prescripts.
Mathabatha said a thorough assessment of the drought situation found that all district and local municipalities in the province faced the worst drought conditions recorded in years.
He said the declaration would assist government to unlock the necessary resources to assist the affected communities.
“The provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has set aside R3 million to assist affected farmers through the provision of livestock feed. This amount does not cover other areas such as human consumption,” he said.
“It is for this reason that exco is unlocking other avenues including the activation of the Drought Relief and Disaster Management Act of 2002. The Provincial Treasury and the national Department of Water and Sanitation will provide further assessments. We urge all residents of Limpopo to heed all calls to use water sparingly, respect water restrictions and observe all guidelines to save water,” said Mathabatha.
Limpopo DA leader, Jacques Smalle, said they welcomed the long awaited decision by the executive to place drought stricken Limpopo under disaster management.
Smalle said agriculture was Limpopo’s second largest GDP and employment contributor and it was vital that assistance reached eligible farmers immediately.
“Small scale farmers and commercial farmers are the hardest hit and livestock herds have decreased dramatically. The types of assistance provided and who is eligible to apply must be widely communicated in order to expedite the process. The DA requests the premier to ensure that the declaration is gazetted in accordance with relevant legislation to prevent delays as experienced in the 2001 drought,” said Smalle.
