Rural development and agrarian reform MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane was left seething this week after visiting the drought-hit OR Tambo district.First he discovered that a multi-million rand fence on land earmarked for the Lambasi Agri Park in Lusikisiki had been vandalised, then he found that drought relief supplies had not been delivered to farmers.
It emerged that drought relief support material in the form of 120 tons of lucerne, 60 tons of hay, several 40kg mineral block licks and 30 rainwater tanks meant for OR Tambo farmers and livestock owners had not been delivered.
King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality, Mhlontlo municipality and the northern parts of Nyandeni municipality are some of the worst drought affected areas in the province.
Commenting on the vandalism, Qoboshiyane said whoever was responsible for the criminal act should be arrested and forced to pay for the fence and poles they had destroyed.
“This criminal act is unfortunate and is something that the province doesn’t need because such actions derail development. We call on the SAPS to move fast in arresting those behind this,” he fumed.
The agri park was one of several announced by President Jacob Zuma in his state of the nation address last year.
Qoboshiyane’s department has invested around R8.9-million for the construction of the facility, with R2.8-million set aside for fencing.
The MEC promised stern action against his own officials after he was told that around 390 cattle, 334 sheep and 108 goats had succumbed to adverse weather conditions in OR Tambo after drought support material was not sent on time. “Someone has to answer for this,” he said.
On a positive note, Qoboshiyane was happy with the provincial government’s cropping programme in Lambasi where tons of harvested maize was not affected by drought.
The MEC also visited KwaFeni village near Centane where his department is partnering with Whiphold in a R6.7-million project to harvest yellow genetically modified maize on a stretch of around 1500 hectares. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
MEC on the warpath over drought relief bungle
First he discovered that a multi-million rand fence on land earmarked for the Lambasi Agri Park in Lusikisiki had been vandalised, then he found that drought relief supplies had not been delivered to farmers.
It emerged that drought relief support material in the form of 120 tons of lucerne, 60 tons of hay, several 40kg mineral block licks and 30 rainwater tanks meant for OR Tambo farmers and livestock owners had not been delivered.
King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality, Mhlontlo municipality and the northern parts of Nyandeni municipality are some of the worst drought affected areas in the province.
Commenting on the vandalism, Qoboshiyane said whoever was responsible for the criminal act should be arrested and forced to pay for the fence and poles they had destroyed.
“This criminal act is unfortunate and is something that the province doesn’t need because such actions derail development. We call on the SAPS to move fast in arresting those behind this,” he fumed.
The agri park was one of several announced by President Jacob Zuma in his state of the nation address last year.
Qoboshiyane’s department has invested around R8.9-million for the construction of the facility, with R2.8-million set aside for fencing.
The MEC promised stern action against his own officials after he was told that around 390 cattle, 334 sheep and 108 goats had succumbed to adverse weather conditions in OR Tambo after drought support material was not sent on time. “Someone has to answer for this,” he said.
On a positive note, Qoboshiyane was happy with the provincial government’s cropping programme in Lambasi where tons of harvested maize was not affected by drought.
The MEC also visited KwaFeni village near Centane where his department is partnering with Whiphold in a R6.7-million project to harvest yellow genetically modified maize on a stretch of around 1500 hectares. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
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