Drought to seriously impact consumer pockets

BEFORE the end of this year, the ongoing drought could cause the price of potatoes and tomatoes to increase by up to 33%.

A cabbage will cost nearly double and beef could set the consumer back by a whopping R300 per kilo.

This is according to the Chairman of the Felixton Crop Growers Association, John Readman, who said food inflation is only one of the plethora of problems triggered by the severe dry spell.

Speaking at a water crisis meeting at the uMhlathuze Municipality on Wednesday, Readman said thousands of Zululanders will be affected by the financial loss in the sugarcane industry owing to the drought.

‘Farmers north of Stanger earned R1.4-billion less last year compared to the previous year. That is more than a billion rands less spent by farmers at local businesses.’

‘So one can only imagine the indirect impact this will have and has had on breadwinners from Empangeni all the way north.

‘Industries are also on the bones. I do not believe government has money in the coffers to throw out anymore,’ said Readman.

‘We all, industries, farmers, the public and government, need to pull together to weather this storm.’

According to Readman’s records, cane farmers, irrigators and the Felixton Mill in the Empangeni area alone are responsible for more than 14 000 direct jobs and more than 84 000 dependents.

‘Fortunately, local farmers have not resolved to retrench.

‘We have taken a severe financial knock, but we are also responsible for the livelihoods of those in the lowest tier of industries, so retrenchment is simply not an option.’

Strong suggestions

Representatives from water utility Mhlathuze Water, the Zululand Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZCCI), the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), as well as city councillors present at the meeting asserted that the city and district municipalities need to take stronger action to raise awareness and curb the ‘astonishing’ water wastage across the uThungulu region.

Proposals included putting punchy water saving messages on city billboards, sending properly briefed councillors out to address schools and communities and punishing repeat water waste offenders by installing low-flow fixtures to their washers, forcing them to save water.

A fine issue

‘The problem with fining people is that only residents who pay rates and taxes receive water bills,’ said Ward 2 Councillor Alen Viljoen.

City of uMhlathuze Water and Sanitation Senior Engineer Siboniso Zungu confirmed the biggest water users are in fact in rural areas.

‘We have even found one resident who owed R25 000 because people were illegally feeding water to their households from his pipe.’