THE SA Agricultural Union on Wednesday appealed to farmers and businesses in the Eastern Cape to assist communities in areas where raging veld fires destroyed about 70000 hectares of grazing land. The grazing land was destroyed and an unspecified number of livestock killed in the veld fires which affected the areas of Elliot, Ida and parts of the former Transkei last week. The fires were fanned by winds reaching speeds of up to 100km per hour. Extensive damage was caused to fencing, workers’ houses and other infrastructure.