As the government announced additional drought relief measures on Tuesday, hopes remained dim for substantial rains in the near future.
”We are predicting some immediate temporary relief but things are not looking good for the remainder of the season,” South African Weather Service forecaster Evert Scholtz said in Pretoria.
”Some areas have had good rains in the last 24 hours, but not enough to avert an agricultural crisis.”
The government announced it will make available additional resources for drought relief, but declined to give any figures.
A comprehensive drought mitigation programme has been put in place following an urgent meeting called on Monday, the Ministry of Provincial and Local Government said in a statement.
A task team has identified agriculture, drinking water supplies and municipal water as the main areas requiring intervention.
The department said struggling farmers may have no choice but to lay off workers. To this end, ”an intervention with organised agriculture to assist farmworkers is under consideration”.
The government is also planning to expand fodder support.
Maize, sunflower and soya crops are likely to be smaller than expected, while the drought has also hampered sugar-cane production. About 30 000 head of cattle have been lost, the department said.
The ministry promised additional resources for emergency assistance to vulnerable households. It said a programme is being developed to expand water provision for human and livestock consumption.
”Support will also be provided to ensure that emergency boreholes are correctly operated and maintained.”
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry Director General Mike Muller would not elaborate on the programme, saying further details will be made available after Christmas.
Louis Buys, chief director of disaster management in the Department of Provincial and Local Government, said about R230-million was approved last week for agricultural drought relief. About R60-million of this is earmarked for fodder, the rest for drinking water for humans and stock.
About 70% of the money was made immediately available to municipalities in seven provinces, Buys said.
Agri SA president Japie Grobler said there is a real danger of staple food shortages in the country.
He described short-term government interventions as insufficient, saying they largely sidelined commercial farmers.
What is really needed is for the government to underwrite farmers’ insurance policies.
Many insurers have started refusing to insure farmers’ produce as the risks have become too high, Grobler said.
”The government has been considering this option for years. Their delays could seriously boomerang — even if it rains we will have lower production because farmers simply cannot afford it any more.”
North West Premier Popo Molefe expressed his concern over drought in his province, saying the need might arise for water restrictions.
”We are very concerned about the plight of farmers and rural communities,” he said. ”This situation will have enormous consequences on our economy because agriculture is one of the key economic sectors in our province.”
The weather service, meanwhile, forecast a high likelihood for rains overnight over the northern Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo.
It predicted cloudy, warm and humid conditions with high chances of showers for the central interior regions on Christmas and Boxing Day.
A cold front is expected to bring rains to the south-western parts of the Western Cape from Wednesday, clearing by Friday. — Sapa