Bulwane handed over fodder and protein-based pellets to about 25 affected farmers. 

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Bulwane’s visit to Edenburg follows after thousands of hectares of grazing land were recently destroyed in Thaba Nchu, Koffiefontein, Jacobsdal, Petrusburg, Fauresmith, Korronstad, Soutpan, Bultfontein, Bainsvlei and Edenburg. Damages as a result of the fires included game, livestock and on-farm infrastructure, such as buildings, amongst others.

The MEC says his department plans to reach out to farmers in other affected towns in the coming weeks.

OFM News recently reported that veldfires In the Free State, Northern Cape and North West have collectively destroyed more than one million hectares of grazing land.

According to Erich Stoch, chairperson of the North West Umbrella Fire Protection Association, more than 620 000 hectares of veld were destroyed from the period 1 May to 23 September 2021. 

Adding to that, a farmer in the Dewetsdorp area in the Free State, lost 400 of his Dohne Marino ewes in early September due to veldfires in that area. According to Hansie Swanepoel, chairman of the district agricultural union, Piet van Staden from the farm Aanmekaar suffered damages to the tune of about R1 million.

Furthermore, two raging veldfires outside Kimberley in the Northern Cape this week resulted in some farmers in the area losing as much as 90% of their farms. The fires were so intense that motorists travelling on the N12 were urged to be vigilant and were warned to drive carefully as wildlife was jumping the fences in order to escape the fires.

If you would like to make donations to farmers who have been affected by wildfires in central South Africa, visit Agri Northern Cape, Free State Agriculture and Agri North West's websites for more information.

Also, if you’d like to assist those fighting the fires across central South Africa, you can donate bottled water and sealed foods, such as sandwiches and energy bars, to your nearest fire department.

OFM News