Willem Symington, Agri Northern Cape’s Disaster Management committee chairman, said Namaqualand, Boesmanland and the Hantam District Municipality are being particularly hard hit by the now two-year-long drought in the area.
Symington, who farms near Loeriesfontein, said the drought, which began in 2014, has escalated significantly, and that farmers’ cash flow is depleted.
Henning Myburgh, Agri Northern Cape CEO, said: “The situation is critical. Livestock is dying at an alarming rate and commercial banks have reached a point where they can’t afford to extend credit facilities. The number of farmers who simply can’t continue as is, is increasing significantly.”
The country’s farmers have contributed somewhat to alleviating the situation.
Myburgh said large donations have been received from, among others, Free State farmers.
