This is according to MEC, Mase Manopole. She made the announcement after it was identified that the outbreak took place in the Pixley ka Seme District Municipality, which includes De Aar, Prieska and Colesberg, amongst other towns. Here is Manopole…

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Manopole’s announcement of a locust outbreak follows after Minister of Agriculture, Thoko Didiza, stated that the country is currently experiencing outbreaks of locusts in the Northern Cape, Free State and Western Cape.

Towns that were identified is Hanover, Carnavon, Loxton, Britstown, Noupoort, Richmond and Victoria West. 

Manopole also welcomed a team of specialists to the province, dispatched by Didiza from the national department. The team is expected to work closely with the provincial departments, the entities, the Agricultural Research Council and farmer organisations, to curb the further spread of swarms.

The MEC urges farmers and farmer organisations to alert the department whenever they spot these locusts and to work with government officials to stop the spread.

Furthermore, the department is appealing to the community and farmers to report the visibility of these swarms in their areas to the following departmental officials: Gert Greyvenstein on 082-451-4860, Vuyokazi Mpumlwana, on 084-760-8176, and Dr Ikalafeng Kgakatsi on 072-198-9882.

Meanwhile, OFM News on Friday reported that Free State Agriculture stated that swarms of locusts in the Edenburg district in the Free State were under control at that stage. Dr Jack Armor, chief operating officer of Free State Agriculture, stated that according to a local locust official, Gert Greyvenstein, the swarms were spotted and sprayed in the Smithfield, Springfontein, Vanstadensrus and Reddersburg areas.

OFM News