South Africa: DA Calls for Drought to Be Reclassified As a State of Disaster

press release

During a recent oversight visit to the Central Karoo District, the Democratic Alliance (DA) was alarmed to find that recent rainfall has not alleviated the drought that has plagued the region for the past seven years, and that farmers there are on the brink of despair. We therefor call on the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, to reinstate the classification of the drought as a State of Disaster that the Head of the National Disaster Management Centre, Dr Mmaphaka Tau, revoked on 16 July 2020, and to gazette all areas still affected by drought in all parts of the country.

Once the areas are gazetted, the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, should ensure that debt relief packages are made available through the Land Bank and commercial banks to ease the financial strain of farmers still suffering as a result of the drought.

...

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.