WHILE the agricultural sector, the main income source of the Eastern Cape, is collapsing, provincial and national government seem oblivious to the thousands of job losses and the devastating effect on the economy.
“Government will have to redefine the meaning of the words ‘urgency’, ‘immediately’ and ‘emergency.’ One cannot declare a state of drought emergency, and then start to do something about it eight months later.
“Processes are flawed and money is being released too slowly,” said Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of Gift of the Givers (GOTG).
Sooliman pleaded with government to speed up drought relief intervention for farmers.
“How many more farmers will commit suicide? Government is ignoring the one sector in which the largest number of job opportunities can be created. It is such a simple solution: provide fodder for animals, drill boreholes that legitimately yield water, and save farms and farming job opportunities.
“You know things are really bad when a farmer himself asks you for a food parcel.”
Manage groundwater very conservatively
While many areas in the Eastern Cape have received more rain than in the same period last year, the critical period is far from over.
“We are, in fact, entering what is called a ‘green drought’,” says Dr Gideon Groenewald, GOTG geohydrologist.
“Rivers that had never before in human recollection run dry, have still not regained their strength. Add to that the fact that government is about 30 years behind schedule in building enough dams to cope with population growth.
“To a large degree, Eastern Cape communities and farmers are still dependent on groundwater, but even these resources’ replenishing cycle is 18 months behind schedule due to the drought.
“We strongly advise municipalities and farmers to manage groundwater resources very conservatively,” Groenewald said.
No water, no prosperity
In an interview on national television Sooliman appealed to President Cyril Ramaphosa to come and witness the devastation of the Eastern Cape drought for himself.
“Come and see how the elderly walk for kilometres to fetch water…orphans, young, old and disabled people.”
The humanitarian organisation’s teams are distributing water in several towns in the Eastern Cape, but cannot keep up with current demand, despite working up to 18 hours per day.
“The drought has sunk its teeth into every area of the Eastern Cape, as well as the Northern Cape. The drought has wreaked havoc on the economy, while job losses due to struggling agriculture are massive.
“The president and government will have to deal with this as a matter of urgency.
“People experience that government has forgotten about them, only to return when elections come. They are crying out to the president as all the things that are supposed to bring prosperity being shut down due to lack of water.”
