The drought crisis in Limpopo took a new twist this week when the government announced that it would reject a request from the provincial administration to declare several disaster areas in the region.
The provincial administration asked the government two months ago to provide aid of more than R40-million to stem the effects of drought on communal farmers in the region. The province has set aside R6-million for the effort, but the money is not enough to deal with the crisis.
Limpopo MEC for Agriculture Aaron Motsoaledi last week warned that if national aid did not arrive soon, the R6-million would be exhausted. The provincial government has been using the money to supply communal farmers with subsidised forage, which is used to feed cattle in times of drought.
Thousands of head of cattle have perished since the start of the drought last December.
Louis Buys, chief director for disaster management in the Department of Provincial and Local Government, this week said the drought situation in Limpopo does not serve as justification for some areas to be declared disaster areas.
In terms of legislation, says Buys, an area can be declared a disaster area if “extraordinary measures are required”. In the case of Limpopo, he said, “there is no need to declare the area disaster because the drought situation alone does not require extraordinary measures”.
He said the drought would have required “extraordinary measures” if, for example, it was coupled with foot-and-mouth disease.
Buys’s sentiments were echoed by Selwyn Jehoma, chief director for grant administration in the national Department of Social Development. He said his department might consider providing funds to help poor people in the drought-stricken area through an emergency relief fund.
Jehoma said only R5-million was available in the emergency relief fund. The funds, however, cannot be allocated to aid commercial farmers besieged by the drought.
“We cannot provide for commercial farmers. The funds which are available can only be provided for the poor,” Jehoma said.
Motsoaledi this week insisted that the provincial administration was justified in its request for national aid. He said the provincial government conducted an assessment and its findings showed that the areas were indeed a “disaster”.
The Mail & Guardian also visited some of the affected areas. The effects of the drought are stark in Blouberg, near Polokwane. Here the drought has dealt a heavy blow to people who rely on livestock for a living. Motsoaledi said his administration would accept any decision by the government as long as it could provide some relief.