Govt 'clueless' about drought
2003-05-13 11:17
Johannesburg - The government "doesn't have the faintest clue" of the intensity of the terrible drought in Limpopo province, says Willie Lewies, chairman of the Transvaal Agircultural Union's northern region.
He was reacting to a report that aid to farmers in drought-stricken Limpopo was dependent on how the poor were affected.
Beeld said in a report on Saturday that some areas in Limpopo would not be declared disaster areas if poor people living on farms were not affected by the prolonged drought.
Lewies says farmers' organisations in Limpopo are "sick and tired" of trying to get President Thabo Mbeki and the department of agriculture to understand how serious the drought in the area really is.
Lewies says: "We have called on all members of agricultural associations to write letters, emphasising the seriousness of the drought."
The Limpopo government, in co-operation with its agriculture department, wrote to Mbeki about two months ago, asking that certain areas be declared disaster ones.
Areas in the districts of Alldays, Lephalale, Thabazimbi, Soutpansberg, Blouberg, Mogalakwena, Musina, Mutal and Makhado were recommended.
The request for drought assistance was sent to the department of social development, which has to make recommendations before a decision will be taken.
A task group is in Limpopo at the moment, to establish how the drought is affecting the poor.
Jorrie Jordaan, chairman of the Limpopo Farmers' Association, says several of their organisations are distributing money to help poor farm workers to cope.
"These people are in need of assistance. They do not have food to eat and are doing anything to lay their hands on money."
Gert Rall of Agri-Sa's northern region says the task force is "a good idea. We just hope they don't take months before a decision is taken," he said.
He said farmers in Limpopo were finding conditions extremely difficult and some had to lay off workers because of the drought.
An urgent meeting between various farmers' associations and the department of agriculture will be held in Polokwane on Wednesday.