Animal deaths cripple farmers
Boreholes in Raymond Mhlaba dry
FARMERS in the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality are counting the costs after losing more than 150 cattle due to the drought that has gripped the area since last year.
The farmers, mostly subsistence farmers, said their loss was valued at about R5-million.
One farmer, Martin Noonan, said he had lost 16 cattle in a space of eight months due to the drought.
He said in an area where there were no other jobs available, the loss was unbearable.
“The rest of my cattle are weak and the grass is dry because of the drought. For most of us are farmers, there are no jobs,” Noonan said.
Farmer Luvuyo Sanadayi said even boreholes in the area had run dry.
“The only boreholes in the area have run dry. Every day in each village, two or three cattle die,” Sanadayi said.
This was all revealed at a meeting held by farmers in Seymour.
Before the meeting, the farmers took the Daily Dispatch team to different farms in areas such as Balfour, Hertzog and Fairbairn.
Despite recent rains, the dams are still dry. Dead cattle carcasses lie scattered over the grazing fields.
Some of the cattle died while trying to get water from the dry dams.
Local farmer Patrick Mayase said the latest rain was not enough. He said the area had been suffering since 2014 and the recent rains would do little to improve the situation.
Speaking on behalf of all the farmers in the area, Mashwabada Msizi said they were hoping for government intervention.
“The temperatures have risen by more than 40%. We need intervention, seriously. We need bales of feed and water in this area.
“Government needs to fix our boreholes. We have more than 150 cattle that have died, what must we do next? Msizi asked.
Msizi added that the lucerne they had received from the government, was not enough to sustain them.
“We need more support. We need Jojo water tanks to store water for the cattle. This is a dire situation.
“Many of us depend on these cattle to feed our families and to take our children out of poverty,” he said.
Last week, the Dispatch also reported how residents in Tamarha which falls under the Ngqushwa Municipality, had lost more than 50 cattle since November last year.
MEC for rural development and agrarian reform in the Eastern Cape Mlibo Qoboshiyane last week told the Dispatch that drought was still persistent and severe in some parts of the Amathole District.
He said they were working in all areas to assess the severity.
He said R35-million was also available for the construction and repair of boreholes and R20-million had been allocated for feeder banks and feed production for the Eastern Cape.
Lucerne, hay, mineral licks and water tanks were also being provided by the department.
But farmers such as Eden Smith, whose family lost 17 sheep and eight cattle, said the intervention was at a slow pace. —