DA calls on FS government to assist farmers to fight fires

Issued by Dr Roy Jankielsohn MPL – Leader of the Official Opposition in the Free State Legislature
23 Jun 2020 in Press Statements

The Free State provincial government must put its money where its mouth is regarding support to the agricultural sector. The agricultural sector has been identified by the provincial government as a potential growth node in the post-Covid lockdown economic recovery of the province.

As such it should require additional support and investment by government. This support remains restricted to a fortunate few emerging farmers, while the commercial sector who ensure food security remain unsupported.

Veld fires pose a much greater annual threat to the agriculture sector than Covid-19 does to the province. The provincial government has denied our agricultural sector in the Free State disaster relief during the drought, and now continues to do so during the fire season. Fires have a devastating effect on the agricultural sector every year with losses to grazing of 1 350 284 hectares in the last six years as illustrated per year below:

  • 2014 – 353 415 ha
  • 2015 – 198 011 ha
  • 2016 – 55 332 ha
  • 2017 – 313  933 ha
  • 2018 – 281 399 ha
  • 2019 – 148 194 ha

The financial losses in terms of hectares of grazing, implements, infrastructure and livestock are huge, and have a devastating impact on the ability of our emerging and commercial farmers to maintain sustainable businesses.

Government should use resources at its disposal to assist farmers during times when they are most vulnerable, such as during droughts and fires.

The continued denial of support to our agricultural sector was again confirmed during a reply to a question to the MEC for Agriculture and Rural development in the Free State, Mr William Bulwane, about support during veld fires.

The agricultural sector continue to experience substantial losses of income during Covid lockdown due to the closure of lucrative markets such as restaurants, hotels and guest houses.

The DA will continue to fight for the recognition of this crucial economic sector in the Free State Legislature.

Our farmers are national assets who ensure food security for our country, and the DA will treat them as such.

121. Hon. R Jankielsohn (DA) asks the Hon. MEC responsible for DARD: Mr. W Bulwane.

In view of the fire season that has commenced in the Free State, whether the Department has made any resources and/or funding available to assist the agricultural sector with veld fires, if not, why not, if so:

121.1 What (a) funding and (b) other resources are available?

121.2 Who are the (a) intended or (b) actual beneficiaries of funding and/or other resources respectively?

RESPONSE 13/06/2020

(a) a) The Department has not made any resources available for Fire Season for the making of firebreaks, equipment, protective clothing and personnel for extinguishing fires as it remains the responsibility of every owner of the land in line with Veld and Forest Fire Act. The Department is continuing with Awareness Campaigns to the Subsistence, Small holder and Commercial farmers that include sending out National Advisories as Warnings when heat and windy conditions will occur that can lead to run-away veld fire dangers. The Department also provide awareness information to communities on the dangers of run-away veld fires.