Port Elizabeth - The Eastern Cape rural development department will provide emergency relief support to farmers affected by veld fires, it said on Wednesday.
“The department will supply animal feed to provide food for animals as the veld fires scorched grazing lands in Cedarville,” said MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane in a statement.
“We need a quicker procurement of bales for these affected farmers to feed their surviving livestock.”
He vowed to exhaust all disaster management efforts to help communities and farmers affected.
The fire had affected 15 farmers in the Alfred Nzo district municipality over the weekend.
On Saturday veld fires swept through Matatiele, Mbizana and Cedarville.
“About 15 farms were hit hard by these veld fires, scorching about 15 000 hectares of grazing land, 130 cattle, 650 sheep and 6 000 bales of animal feed.”
The department was working with relevant government institutions to provide emergency relief support.
“With regards to the social relief assistance, Sassa (South African Social Security Agency) is on the ground working with all those affected.”
Eskom technicians were working on restoring electricity in the affected areas.
Ten people were killed by the fires.
“I would like to send a word of compassion to families whose loved ones were victims of the veld fires, farmers whose livestock and property was burnt.”
Qoboshiyane urged communities to do everything they could to prevent veld fires. He said people should be taught to be cautious of causing fire.
Sapa