The Citrusdal Water Users Association received a total of R14,98 million on Saturday 17 August 2024.
This was handed over by Dr Ivan Meyer, the Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism.
Dr Ruben Richards, Executive Mayor of Citrusdal and Boffie Strydom, Executive Mayor of the West Coast District, accompanied Meyer. Both expressed their gratitude to the Western Cape Government (WCG) for responding to farmers’ plight following severe flood damage to agriculture in the area.
The funds will mitigate future flood damage to the Upper Oliphants River catchment area.
Meyer said the 2023 and 2024 floods significantly affected farmland’s ecological infrastructure.
“The flood resulted in the agricultural sector requiring significant repairs,” she said, “including removing debris and sediment build-up over approximately 60 km along the main stem of the Olifants River and its apocopated tributary.
“We must protect the water security of the region, particularly the agricultural industries and livelihoods that depend on it.”
Dr Mogale Sebopetsa, Western Cape Government Head of Agriculture, highlighted that partnership and collaboration with the citrus farmers, businesses, municipalities and water-user associations is crucial to dealing with more frequent extreme weather patterns due to climate change.
“Our focus is also to care for the environment and the local communities affected by the recent floods,” he said. “The funding is in line with the value of responsiveness of the Western Cape Government.”
Thanking the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, Stefan Theron of the Citrusdal Waters Users Association said that the group had “been through a rough time over the last couple of months, and it is significant to note the impact the floods and the damage to the roads have had on people’s lives and their access to food and cash.
“The R14,98 million donation will enable us to reinstate drainage along the river, remove sediment and debris islands that can block or divert river flow and reinstate access along the river where roads, cultivated fields, orchards and infrastructure have washed away.”
Meyer said while a permanent solution is needed to the road infrastructure at the entrance/exit to Citrusdal “it is also essential that, as the agricultural sector, we adapt to climate change to repair our agricultural infrastructure in a way that is resilient and able to withstand more unpredictable weather.”
