IN THE NEWS Help for drought-hit NC farmers
AS THE Northern Cape battles through the worst drought in a century, the Shoprite Group and Gift of the Givers extended their water-saving initiatives to assist farmers in the Province.
Five trucks left the Shoprite Group’s distribution centre in Centurion on Friday morning to deliver fodder to the Northern Cape, where the worst drought conditions in a century is killing livestock and threatening the livelihoods of farmers and farmworkers.
The fodder provided included soya beans, akkerboon, outlands grass, mealie leaf and lucerne.
Boreholes, water tanks, JoJo tanks and the planting of new feed are all urgent interventions.
Three trucks arrived in Garies on Saturday and another in the Richtersveld in the Northern Cape on Sunday, providing much-needed relief to these communities.
They heeded the call from struggling farmers, committing hundreds of thousands of rand to transport costs, goods and other assistance to those affected by the drought.
As dams, like those in Beaufort West, run dry, leaving communities to rely on groundwater and treated sewage, communities are increasingly seeking help.
Dr Imtiaz Sooliman of Gift of the Givers said it had been a period of great distress for many farmers and animals in the Northern and Eastern Cape for several months.
“Recently, a farmer and his wife tried to rescue 157 abandoned calves whose mothers were too weak and malnourished to nurture their offspring with love, warmth and nourishment; only eight survived. The farmer wanted to commit suicide. Two months ago a farmer shot himself,” said Sooliman.
He said that the chances of this recurring were very real as farmers were at their wits’ end and unable to provide for their animals, and by extension, their families, as they watched their prized animals dying with each passing day.
“They are totally helpless and losing hope rapidly. The animals are in desperate need of fodder. The drought has destroyed all vegetation,” Sooliman said.
Other drought-relief efforts included:
• The launch of the Smart Water Meter Challenge and the sponsorship of the installation of 100 smart water meters at Cape Town’s top 100 water-consuming schools.
• Sending Shoprite mobile soup kitchens to serve in disaster-stricken communities, as is currently happening in Beaufort West.
• The continued support of 36 PlayPumps, which brought clean water to approximately 350 000 to 400 000 people across South Africa daily.
• The launch of the in-store Disaster Relief Fund.
Those who want to participate in any aspect of this project are welcome to contribute to Gift of the Givers by contacting Dr Sooliman on 071 365 2470.