Fight-poverty
Government commit to fight poverty
By Thozi kaManyisana
The Eastern Cape provincial government is committed to ensuring poverty, unemployment, underdevelopment and inequality is eradicated so that the people of the province can benefit from the economic spinoffs.
This was the message relayed during a media briefing aimed at unpacking the integrated anti-poverty provincial strategy by MECs for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform Nomakhosazana Meth, Health MEC Sindiswa Gomba, Human Settlements MEC Nonkqubela Peters and MEC for Social Development and Special programmes Siphokazi Lusithi.
Speaking during the briefing held at the Bhisho Massacre Memorial, MEC Meth outlined the department’s interventions to poverty. She said the main programme that seeks to address food production at household level, which is known as Siyazondla, has a budget of R40 million for poultry and vegetable production in 20 000 households across the province.
MEC said the Department has allocated R94 million for the provision of production inputs and mechanization for grain farmers in the province. She said in this cropping season, the department was targeting 28 116ha for planting.
She said in the current financial year a sum of R15 million was allocated for vegetable production in “high potential areas”.
To improve income generation in the livestock development programme, DRDAR is working with National Agriculture Marketing Council through the Custom Feeding Program. She said 15 of the Custom Feeding Centres will be supported in 2020/21 financial year with a budget of R7 million to provide feed production, she said.
The MEC also revealed that farmers in the province had generated foreign revenue to the tune of R387 million through live exports of livestock to the Middle East.
Furthermore, the Department has supported 116 smallholder farmers with 84 bulls and 377 heifers across the province with each farmer receiving 15 heifers andone1 bull while young farmers recieved 20 heifers and 1 bull each.
She said the delivery of genetically superior bulls and heifers will continue during the financial year with a total of R93, 6 million set aside to support farmers on wool, genetic improvement, custom feeding, animal health, poultry and piggery projects. This initiative is expected to create 677 jobs in the province.
The MEC said the department is supporting black citrus farmers to increase production by 445 ha in Amathole and Sarah Baartman where the department is working with Citrus Growers Association to assist farmers to secure more funding from JobsFund in an initiative that will create 756 new jobs.
She also mentioned the deciduous fruit expansion in new areas of the province focusing in Gubengxa Valley where a total of 450 ha would be developed under apple production and is expected to create 764 jobs opportunities
The MEC said in support of antipoverty strategy, DRDAR is currently working towards constructing 71 boreholes, scooping 216 dams, 10 dip tank renovations, building of nine animal handling facilities, erection of 530 kilometres of fencing and installation of seven stock water systems. This will create 1 762 jobs, she said.
On youth development, MEC said the national Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform through the NARYSEC programme has mobilised 203 youths which were supported under the Covid-19 smallholder farmer support programme and were provided with agricultural production inputs.
She said on the internships, learnership and bursaries programme DRDAR has supported 122 youth while 114 unemployed graduates have been placed in various commercial farms and cooperatives in order to afford them an opportunity to gain hands on farm experience.
As part of ensuring that people in rural areas have access to one of the most basic rights, the MEC said DRDAR is implementing spring water protection program in Chris Hani, Alfred Nzo and Joe Gqabi where the department protects spring water and channels it to communities through pipes and taps.
Whilst irrigation schemes in Amathole, Chris Hani and OR Tambo are expected to create 3 406 sustainable jobs
“In promoting rural agro-processing initiatives, the department is operationalising five (5) in KSD, Ncora, Mbizana, Emalahleni and Tshabo. The facilities are being reconfigured to serve as demand aggregation centre for smallholder and communal producers,” said MEC Meth.
She added that the department was initiating two mechanization centres in the King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality and Elundini Municipality in support of smallholder cropping farmers and communal producers.
MANTUSINI DAIRY RESCUED
Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Mcebisi Skhwatsha was accompanied by Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) MEC Nomakhosazana Meth during the visit to Mantusini Dairy in Port St Johns.
“We have been here from time to time , saw the situation and we intervened by bringing feed and an investor.
“The DM has also been aware of your situation and he is here to see for himself and follow up on government’s investment here,” Meth said.
The project was initiated in 2005 and government has made investments through the departments of DRDAR, which spent R9 million and Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development spent R34 million.
Despite the endeavours by government, the situation became so bad at the dairy resulting in loss of livestock due to mismanagement
MEC Meth also introduced , the investment company Cream Top to DM Skhwatsha . The company has vowed to turn around the dire situation,
Cream Top’s representative Sihle Ntuli promised the community made of 450 beneficiaries: “we are here to turn around this situation.”
Local Chief Mthetheleli Nompandla, urged the people to be “united and work with government in changing your lives. We are happy and hopeful now that they have brought us investors,” said Chief Nompandla
After a walk about in the dairy , DM Skhwatsha expressed his disappointment.
” This is a very unfortunate situation with government investing so much money and the project collapse
” We are convinced and confident that we will save this dairy ,” the DM said
Responding to allegations of mismanagement of funds, the DM said: “anyone who steals from government drastic actions will be taken.
“It is important to ensure government funds are used for the intended purpose, that is to develop the people.”
Skhwatsha’s visit to Nqoko family in Ugie
Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Mcebisi Skhwatsha went to the household of the emotionally distressed Nqoko family who were “forcefully removed” from a farm in Ugie.
The DM visited the family, now living at the Ekuthuleni Township in Elliot to hear their plight “so that there could be a way forward.”
Family member and human rights activists, George Nqoko told a sad story of her 84-year-old aunt was removed from the farm and how this led her to losing her livestock and leave behind the family graves.
“Its painful when I think about where we come from. The old lady was just told by the new farm owner: ‘get out , Iam not buying people but Iam buying the farm.’
“This was a sad moment for the family hence we approached the Department and we are hopeful that this visit will bear positive fruits.
” We need a farm because Gogo is battling to pay the lease where she’s keeping her cattle,” he added.
The elder’s grandson Lwandile decried how they “lost school years when grandma was chased out like a dog by the new owner .
” What is more worrisome to me is that I thought I’d pursue agriculture studies as I believe passionately that my office is the farm, where I work land. But now I am forced to follow a different career, which is against my will hence. Our plea is for government to give us a farm” said Lwandile.
An emotional touched DM Skhwatsha said: “it is heart breaking that even in democracy, our people are suffering on the farms. We will follow up this matter so that the old lady does not go to the grave with a sore heart.
” We will see the way forward and come back to report to you. You have said you want a farm, we’ve heard that but I can’t commit myself. The answer will come,” he said.
The DM’s scheduled meeting with the said farmer was postponed because the farmer was involved in an accident.