By Lloyd Phillips
The already aged public infrastructure in many rural parts of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal is taking yet another hammering from the recent and current extreme weather conditions, including heavy snow and rain, and strong and icy winds. Farmers are among the biggest losers in these circumstances.
Farmers and other residents of rural areas in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape that are being hard-hit by recent and current extreme weather, are again having to bear the challenges, and associated added costs, of aged public infrastructure that can no longer withstand the likes of heavy rains and snowfalls, extreme cold and gale-force winds.
As reported by African Farming earlier this week, these farmers already have enough other weather-related consequences to deal with on their farms. Yet, according to sources, issues out of their hands are also being made their problem.
Anro Klopper manages Agri Eastern Cape’s infrastructure and trade portfolios. He says his province’s farmers most impacted by the recent and current extreme weather are along some parts of the Eastern Cape coast and others are in the more mountainous interior, especially in the Adelaide district.
“Rains have ranged from 5mm up to 180mm in a 24-hour period. Many farming operations come to a standstill as heavy rains cause bridges and low-level causeways to wash away. Thus, some farmworkers are unable to get to work and farm produce can’t be transported,” Klopper explains.
“The farmers must then make use of alternative routes, which results in increased transport costs. No other preventative measures can be taken to protect the roads from flood damage because no private individual may work on the roads. So, the farmers’ hands are tied.”
‘It’s cold and it’s tricky’
Phox Borrowdale is Farmers Livestock Agents’ representative and auctioneer for KwaZulu-Natal’s Harding and Kokstad districts, and for the Eastern Cape’s Maclear and Ugie districts. He independently expresses similar views to those of Klopper’s.
Borrowdale points out: “We’ve had hectic winds with snow and rain. About 50mm to 80mm of moisture so far. Most farming operations have come to a stop, with only the minimum able to be done. Some rural public roads are currently closed or inaccessible to trucks.”
He says, fortunately, most livestock owners were proactive and had already made provisions ahead of the expected extreme weather, by stocking up on additional feed and moving animals to sheltered areas out of the cold wind.
“But our ageing infrastructure is letting us down. Most of the areas have no power. I’ve seen some powerlines where poles and cables are broken and lying on the ground. Soon the cellphone towers will also be down due to lack of power. Some roads have no gravel left on them, which makes them difficult to use. All in all, it’s cold and it’s tricky.”
More to read:
Icy winds biggest threat to snow-impacted farmers
Free State farmers called to implement cold weather safeguards
Protect your livestock against wet, cold autumn weather – expert advice
