R212m released for SA drought relief
The drought is ravaging agriculture across southern Africa. Picture: Siphiwe Sibeko The drought is ravaging agriculture across southern Africa. Picture: Siphiwe Sibeko
Pretoria - Much-needed relief was brought to eight provinces when the Department of Agriculture made an additional R212 million available in drought aid.
The department said the country was battling the worst drought since 1992.
Seven provinces had so far declared a provincial state of drought disaster.
The Western Cape has declared a local state of disaster in three municipalities - the Central Karoo, Eden and the West Coast.
Gauteng is the only province that has not yet declared a state of drought disaster.
The department said that in the 2015/16 financial year, which ended in March, it had allocated R263m towards drought relief.
In addition, provinces made R198m available “to assist affected farmers with animal feed and water reticulation for livestock”.
“For the 2016/17 financial year the department further requested drought relief assistance from the National Treasury through the National Disaster Management Centre.
“Some R212m has been made available for the provision of animal feed for the remainder of 2016,” the department said in a statement.
Of that, the Western Cape was allocated R12m.
The highest amount - R38m - was allocated to the North West province.
“The drought’s devastating effects pose a risk of social upheaval.
“Some parts of the country are experiencing some rain, but the country in its entirety is receiving below average rainfall as compared to previous seasons due to the El Nino phenomenon.
“Most rivers are not flowing normally and dam levels are at their lowest in a decade,” the department said.
Agri Western Cape spokeswoman Jeanne Boshoff said: “Agri Western Cape is grateful for the R12m coming our way since the Western Cape hasn’t received any drought assistance from the national government to date.”
She hoped that the department will not distribute the money and allow the provincial government to do so.
“Agri Western Cape requests that the department doesn’t attempt to distribute the R12m themselves.
“We want the contribution handed over to the Western Cape Department of Agriculture to use the current system for drought relief to distribute this amount,” Boshoff said.
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