He made the comment on Tuesday when he announced interventions following floods in the province. Here is Bulwane…

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The MEC further stated that while farmers are still recovering from the devastating fires that wreaked havoc in the western parts of the province last year, another crisis followed.

“The rainfall that flooded farms started on 31 December 2020 to 13 January 2021 and farmers recorded 140mm of rain within a very short space of time. The affected areas are as follows: Bultfontein, Hoopstad, Parys, Vredefort, Viljoenskroon, Heilbron, Bothaville, Wesselsbron, Kroonstad, Steynsrus, Bethullie, Reitz, Lindley, Bethlehem, Fouriesburg, Slabberts, some areas in Qwaqwa, Paul Roux, Clarens, Ficksburg, Marquard, Senekal, Kestell and Harrismith,” he explained.

Bulwane added that heavy rainfall caused serious damages to infrastructure situated on and off farms, which includes crops silos, houses, workshops, storage facilities, amongst others.

“Farmers are devastated as they recount the losses due to the heavy rains. Secondary roads and bridges are also damaged. No livestock fatalities were reported as cattle in most cases were moved to the neighbouring camps that have not been affected.

“On the 14th of this month, I visited farmers in Bultfontein together with the Mayor of Tswelopele Local Municipality. We both saw the devastation in that town. The mayor has committed to working with the provincial government and other stakeholders to ensure that necessary support is provided to the affected farmers. On the 18th of January 2021, I visited Bethullie where ±300 animals were trapped,” Bulwane added.

The MEC made the following interventions known:

The Disaster and Risk Management and Extension Services teams have been deployed to assess the damage and compile a detailed report on the extent of the damages. This was done immediately after the crisis began.

The department has engaged other provincial departments which includes the Department of Public Works, to address the collapse of low-lying bridges in the affected towns.

“Through our intervention, the Department of Social Development has supported the affected eight households (farmworkers and farm dwellers), and about twenty-one (21) beneficiaries from the two farms with food parcels, blankets and clothes.

“We are in the process of engaging the Provincial Treasury for immediate financial relief and the Department of Cooperative Governance to declare the area disaster-stricken, should the need arise. SAPS, on 17 January 2021, managed to rescue all animals trapped, and for that, as the Department and the sector are very much thankful to the men and women in blue. I am also glad the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has also availed resources to assist the affected farming areas,” he explained further.

Bulwane added that the Department of Police, Roads and Transport has also availed resources to assist in repairing affected roads and bridges.

“We will continue to work closely with relevant stakeholders (organised agriculture, departments, NGOs, etc.) to attend to these challenges caused by heavy rains/floods.

“It should be noted that the Free State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development cannot declare a disaster, as this is the jurisdiction of the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) as per the Disaster Management Act (57 of 2000) and it over spans various municipalities, meaning thus that a municipality, if the disaster only occurs in one municipality, can also declare,” the MEC concluded.

Also, the department warned that the continuous rainfall may lead to an outbreak of the Rift Valley fever disease. These outbreaks are associated with heavy rainfall during the late summer and it can only be prevented through vaccinating livestock such as cattle, sheep, and goats.

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