Limpopo on edge of crisis

Limpopo is teetering on the edge of a crisis as the ever increasing drought situation has seemingly reached alarming proportions that are necessitating increased intervention in an attempt to avoid the worst case scenario.
The drought situation in the province was about to reach crisis proportions but was not yet at crisis level, Provincial Government Spokesperson Phuti Seloba said in summarising what he referred to as a dire situation now affecting all districts of the province.
In the absence of life-giving showers at a time when Limpopo’s rainy season was already supposed to have commenced and dam levels remain dangerously low, there is no sign yet to convince the farming and business sectors of the plight of the food producer and, in turn, that of the consumer being alleviated.
The hardest hit during the worst drought recorded by the Department of Agriculture in Limpopo since 1992 are smallholder farmers in the Vhembe, Sekhukhune and Mopani districts, it was learnt.
While Limpopo maintains its drought disaster area status, the provincial government has been instrumental in distributing drought relief of R20 million towards fodder supply and drilling of 31 boreholes, at a cost of R13,2 million, since last year. An additional R10 million approved by the Provincial Executive Council (Exco) was still pending the mid-term budget review, according to Agriculture Department spokesperson Selby Makgotho. Confirmation had been received on Tuesday of a commitment by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries towards a further R28 million of R54 million in drought relief requested from National Treasury earlier in the year, Makgotho said.
Makgotho indicated that 67 drought relief centres across all districts have been identified for delivery points of fodder. On behalf of the department he called on all smallholder farmers to register for drought relief assistance. He raised resistance against the reduction of livestock as dictated by current circumstances as a big concern.
Recently re-deployed Agriculture MEC Mapula Mokaba Phukwana was expected to visit the affected districts from today (Thursday) onwards to acquaint herself with the severity of the situation and the challenges posed, Makgotho said. The MEC had also committed herself to looking into allegations of irregular distribution of fodder and taking action against those found guilty thereof, he added. Referring to dam levels having dropped to extremes, he said the current estimated 46% in water supply was insufficient and if it didn’t rain within the next two weeks the situation would be twice as bad as the previous season. The latest figures reflect that Glen Alpine, Mutshedzi and Nsami dams as most affected with levels at 1,3%, 3.1% and 8% respectively, while the levels of Tzaneen, Flag Boshielo and Luphephe dams were at 17,7%, 20,2% and 11,4% respectively. The average for Limpopo’s dams stood at 46,8% at the time of going to press.
Transvaal Agriculture Union (TAU) SA North
Transvaal Agriculture Union (TAU) SA North Regional Manager Drickus Botha emphasised that commercial farmers would have to be self-reliant for drought relief as limited government sources were only being applied for upcoming farmers in communal areas where no grazing was available anymore. He advised urgent consideration of drought aid towards other divisions of farming such as fertiliser and seed to not only concentrate on fodder.
In sketching the magnitude of the problem, Botha mentioned that the drought situation in Limpopo has reached such proportions that reports have been received of game, and especially those phyllophagous by nature, dying. Boreholes were increasingly drying up and where the cultivation of summer vegetation had already taken place, it was less than normal due to lack of underground water. He said in certain areas in the province ground cover has completely disappeared. Due to the ongoing drought farmers have also minimised their livestock, resulting in less animals being sold at auctions. Botha expressed the opinion that early summer rains would still not bring short-term relief.
Agri Limpopo
Agri Limpopo Chief Executive Officer Willem van Jaarsveld said long before Limpopo was declared drought disaster area commercial farmers already instituted their own drought management measures, but built-up reserves were now exhausted. “We applied for additional financial assistance from Agri South Africa’s drought relief fund.” This week local government started stepping up efforts to address the crisis as district municipalities are resorting to the strictest of measures to drastically reduce access to available resources.
Drastic reductions in water supply imposed
The Department of Water and Sanitation has imposed drastic reductions in the supply of water from national resources and in the cases where the supply is augmented from sources like boreholes, authorities had to restrict water consumption to maintain ground water levels.
This week an alert was received about towns in Sekhukhune District being seriously affected by the drought, resulting in communities in the area of Burgersfort who do not use water sparingly facing low water pressure and some instances not receiving water at all, cautioned Willy Mosoma, Communications Manager of Sekhukhune District Municipality.
Capricorn District Municipality (CDM) has also reduced the supply of potable water by 30% for domestic usage and by 55% and 100% for mining usage and agriculture respectively in Lepelle-Nkumpi and surrounding areas such as Zebediela and parts of Mphahlele two weeks ago. “The restrictions are still in force and the situation will be monitored on a daily basis. Intensified measures are a possibility, Moffat Senyatsi, Media Liaison Officer of CDM said to Polokwane Observer on Tuesday. Mopani District Municipality Spokesperson Neil Shikwambana confirmed that the municipality met on Tuesday to discuss the water crisis in the district.
Attempts to source input regarding the situation at Waterberg and Vhembe District Municipalities from their respective spokespersons, Patrick Malete and Matodzi Ralushai proved futile.

Story:
YOLANDE NEL
>>observer.yolande@gmail.com
Herbert Rachuene
>>herbert@mailbox.co.za
BARRY VILJOEN
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Featured photo: A scene from the drought-stricken Masisi area reflective of the severity of the situation in Limpopo.