R400m in drought relief for KZN
EZEMVELO KZN Wildlife has started trucking water to its game reserves to provide supplies for tourists and animals.
This is one of the desperate interventions by the province as the drought tightens its grip, wiping out livestock and game.
So far it had cost the province more than R400 million in livestock and crops, and more than R440 million would be spent to contain its impact, the provincial government said yesterday.
The provincial government, led by Premier Senzo Mchunu, made the announcements after a cabinet sitting in Hluhluwe in the Umkhanyakude district, one of the most-affected areas.
The farming community, of commercial and subsistence farmers, was reeling. At least 40 000 head of cattle had already been lost.
Umkhanyakude mayor Jeffrey Vilane said the premier had declared a second disaster in the province.
“This means the province will now cover agriculture as one of the areas that have been affected by the drought. Previously, agriculture was not covered,” he said.
“The (provincial) government will make more provisions for livestock and game by drilling boreholes for water,”
Today, the provincial Department of Agriculture is expected to announce funding of up to R114 million, specifically to assist farmers.
A total of R443.7 million has been allocated to the province for drought relief.
Mchunu’s government said a number of measures were being implemented to minimise the drought’s impact.
These included buying water tankers, about 15 of which had been bought for Hluhluwe, and the drilling of boreholes.
The Jozini waterworks were being upgraded to 40 megalitres to try to build capacity to keep up with demand. Feed and other agricultural extension services would be made available to support affected farmers.
Engineers were being sent out to assist with the roll-out of water infrastructure in the districts. Desalination plants would be built soon to augment water capacity in the coastal municipalities.
Vilane said the situation was getting more desperate and he called on people in his district to keep calm. This was after a number of protests over water shortages.
“The situation is getting worse, there has not been a single drop of rainfall … Drought is not created by anyone, it’s a natural disaster.
“We call on the people to be calm because even if they close the road for a week protesting, there will still be no water,” he said.