The Democratic Alliance has accused the government of failing to deal with urgent drought-related issues in the Eastern Cape.
In a statement issued by Leader of the Opposition in the Provincial Legislature Anthony Trollip on Thursday‚ the party said that the National Disaster Management Committee (NDMC) had for the fourth time postponed a planned visit to the drought-stricken Joe Gqabi District.
The district was officially declared a drought disaster area in November.
“It is the responsibility of the NDMC to visit the area to assess the impact of drought in order for provinces to submit funding requests to National Treasury‚” Trollip said in his statement.
The NMDC was scheduled to undertake an assessment of the region on 7 December‚ 14 December and 21 December 2015‚ but this has been postponed to late January.
Trollip said: “Not only has Joe Gqabi been declared a drought disaster area‚ it has also been further devastated by catastrophic veld fires that have compounded the havoc in the region with 22 fires reported in the last two months. It is estimated that approximately 40 000 hectares have been burned down‚ affecting approximately 60 farmers in this district alone.”
Trollip said other nearby regions had also experienced drought and veld fires.
“Government’s delay in dealing with these disasters is a shameful reflection of carelessness by its leadership; this reinforces the fact that President Zuma believes that the ANC comes first.”
The DA said it would petition the National Minister of Agriculture‚ Senzeni Zokwana‚ and the MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform‚ Mlibo Qoboshiyane‚ to provide immediate and urgent support to the affected farmers‚ their staff and communities.
Drought in EC being ignored‚ says DA
In a statement issued by Leader of the Opposition in the Provincial Legislature Anthony Trollip on Thursday‚ the party said that the National Disaster Management Committee (NDMC) had for the fourth time postponed a planned visit to the drought-stricken Joe Gqabi District.
The district was officially declared a drought disaster area in November.
“It is the responsibility of the NDMC to visit the area to assess the impact of drought in order for provinces to submit funding requests to National Treasury‚” Trollip said in his statement.
The NMDC was scheduled to undertake an assessment of the region on 7 December‚ 14 December and 21 December 2015‚ but this has been postponed to late January.
Trollip said: “Not only has Joe Gqabi been declared a drought disaster area‚ it has also been further devastated by catastrophic veld fires that have compounded the havoc in the region with 22 fires reported in the last two months. It is estimated that approximately 40 000 hectares have been burned down‚ affecting approximately 60 farmers in this district alone.”
Trollip said other nearby regions had also experienced drought and veld fires.
“Government’s delay in dealing with these disasters is a shameful reflection of carelessness by its leadership; this reinforces the fact that President Zuma believes that the ANC comes first.”
The DA said it would petition the National Minister of Agriculture‚ Senzeni Zokwana‚ and the MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform‚ Mlibo Qoboshiyane‚ to provide immediate and urgent support to the affected farmers‚ their staff and communities.
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