More than 130 livestock in King William’s Town froze to death when the cold front hit the Eastern Cape last week.
Villagers now fear they may lose more livestock with more cold weather being forecast for the Eastern Cape over in the next few days.
A total of 132 sheep in four villages outside King William’s Town perished in the cold. Villagers had sheared the animals just three days prior to the front came in in order to sell the wool in Port Elizabeth.
Agri EC chairman Douglas Stern yesterday said there were no reported deaths of livestock due to the cold weather.
But Nkqubela Mpoli of Qawukeni village, situated about 20km outside King William’s Town, said he lost a total of 66 sheep.
His neighbour and uncle, Khontose Mpoli, who also had sheared his sheep the same day, lost seven sheep and eight lambs.
Another villager from nearby Kalana village is said to have lost 14 sheep, while Mcebisi Booi of Gwaba and another farmer in Tamara village, lost 25 and 12 of their flock respectively due to the severe cold weather last week.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Nkqubela said he was devastated when he woke up to find many of his livestock lying dead.
The unemployed Nkqubela, who together with his family of four survives through livestock farming, told the Dispatch that he had lost over R80000 as a result of the sudden death of his livestock.
“I also use the money I make from such sales to send my two children to school as both my wife and I are unemployed. I have also used some of the money to extend my house and buy myself a car,” said an emotional Nkqubela, who started livestock farming in 2002.
“This is a big knock to my only source of income and I fear for more cold fronts which, if we do not take good care of our livestock, it will kill more of those that are remaining.”
He owns one of the biggest sheep flocks in his village and was now left with just over 100 sheep and lambs, which he struggles to feed as a result of the ongoing drought in his area.
Rural development and agrarian reform spokesman Mvusiwekhaya Sicwetsha said there were no other reports of such incidents reported to his department. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
Cold front kills 130 livestock in KWT
Villagers now fear they may lose more livestock with more cold weather being forecast for the Eastern Cape over in the next few days.
A total of 132 sheep in four villages outside King William’s Town perished in the cold. Villagers had sheared the animals just three days prior to the front came in in order to sell the wool in Port Elizabeth.
Agri EC chairman Douglas Stern yesterday said there were no reported deaths of livestock due to the cold weather.
But Nkqubela Mpoli of Qawukeni village, situated about 20km outside King William’s Town, said he lost a total of 66 sheep.
His neighbour and uncle, Khontose Mpoli, who also had sheared his sheep the same day, lost seven sheep and eight lambs.
Another villager from nearby Kalana village is said to have lost 14 sheep, while Mcebisi Booi of Gwaba and another farmer in Tamara village, lost 25 and 12 of their flock respectively due to the severe cold weather last week.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Nkqubela said he was devastated when he woke up to find many of his livestock lying dead.
The unemployed Nkqubela, who together with his family of four survives through livestock farming, told the Dispatch that he had lost over R80000 as a result of the sudden death of his livestock.
“I also use the money I make from such sales to send my two children to school as both my wife and I are unemployed. I have also used some of the money to extend my house and buy myself a car,” said an emotional Nkqubela, who started livestock farming in 2002.
“This is a big knock to my only source of income and I fear for more cold fronts which, if we do not take good care of our livestock, it will kill more of those that are remaining.”
He owns one of the biggest sheep flocks in his village and was now left with just over 100 sheep and lambs, which he struggles to feed as a result of the ongoing drought in his area.
Rural development and agrarian reform spokesman Mvusiwekhaya Sicwetsha said there were no other reports of such incidents reported to his department. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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