MA IN A R T ICL E
Water Shortage
•••
Reaches Crisis Levels in
Tswelopele Municipality
Grainovation supplied the transport of the bales and drought pellets
to the drought stricken areas of Hoopstad and Bultfontein.
attempt to assist with the water
problem. Two tanks of 130 000
and 90 000 litres each were erected by the community for the
storage of drinking and irrigation
water, according to school principal Jaco Kotze. The chairman
of the school's governing body,
Johan Pienaar, said that Senwes'
assistance has resulted in a saving of R8 000 per month in the
school's water account during
this time.
THE CURRENT SITUATION
The chairman of Bultfontein
District Agriculture, Herman
Meiring, says that approximately
10% of the normal maize volumes, 15% of normal sunflower
volumes and 1% of normal soya
bean and ground nut volumes
have been planted. The chairman
of the Hoopstad South Farmers
Union, Riaan Taljaard, said that
the maize plantings in their area
also amount to 10% of the normal plantings and late sunflower
plantings amount to 30% of the
normal planting levels.
RAIN
According to both Meiring and
Taljaard they received 30mm of
rain between September 2015
and January 2016, which paralysed the area. They also received
between 270 mm and 320 mm
of rain from 18 to 22 January
and again from 4 to 7 April.
“Due to the late rain the
regrowth period of grass in the
grazing area of Bultfontein is very
limited,” said Meiring. Farmers
therefore sold a lot of cattle and
only core herds were retained to
ensure the continued existence of
the producer and his labourers.
THE IMPACT ON THIS AREA
The impact is huge, with
183 000 hectares of land being
impacted by the drought 86 000 hectares of which at
Bultfontein and 84 000 hectares
at Hoopstad. 8 000 hectares and
5 000 hectares respectively are
under irrigation in the two areas.
FOOD DONATIONS
The community has launched
feeding schemes and food parcels
are handed out to needy children
at schools in the area. A further
problem is that the use of seasonal workers has declined. Less
money is therefore in circulation,
which brings about its own problems. In addition to low planting
levels, very little rain and water
shortages, cash flow is also a
problem.
For more information or to
assist, please contact Herman
Meiring at 0832923427 or Riaan
Taljaard at 082 856 6533.
THE AGRICULTURAL unions
of Bultfontein and Hoopstad
South are reaching out to anyone
in the area, and indeed all over the
country, to assist the Tswelopele
Municipality and community in
combating the drought conditions by donating bottled water
to the beleaguered towns. Visit
the Tswelopele Water Shortage &
Animal Feed Project facebook page
to find out more.
Concerned citizens who wish
to assist can drop off donations
of bottled water at the Senwes/
Hinterland branches in Bultfontein
and Hoopstad respectively.
Should you wish to make a do
nation, please deposit any amount
into the bank account of the
Bultfontein District Agricultural
Union, a non-profit organisation,
at ABSA Bank, Account Number:
9260809457, Branch: Bultfontein,
Branch Code: 334235.
THE SITUATION IN BRIEF
The Erfenis Dam supplies about
99% of the water needed for these
areas via the Vet River. The dam’s
current level is at an alarming
10.25%, which means that at the
current usage rate, the dam will
only be able to supply these towns
with water until 17 October 2016!
The crisis is real and its hea
ding for a total humanitarian and
livestock disaster. Fellow South
Africans, companies and institutions are asked to make donations
of water and funding to ward off
the crippling effects of the drought.
Please contact the chairman
of the Bultfontein District Agri
cultural Union, Herman Meiring
at 0832923427 or mail geluk@
absamail.co.za to find out how you
can make a difference.
SENWES Scenario • JUN/JUL 2016
5