In other areas rain came too late or farmers have had no rain yet to start planting. Johan van den Berg, manager of specialised crop insurance at Santam Agriculture, says the window for planting maize and soybeans in South Africa has passed at the end of December and less planted areas are expected. He says farmers who planted maize are now at risk for early frost in a few months' time, while strong wind and hail storms are also a concern. These farmers, as well as farmers who plant sunflower instead, urgently need follow-up rain.

Meanwhile, a forecaster at the Bloemfontein weather office, Tumi Phatudi, says isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers are expected on Monday in some areas in the Free State and North West. According to her, partly cloudy conditions continue in the extreme eastern part of the Northern Cape, with light rain in the afternoon.

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A 36-year-old alleged stock thief is expected to appear in the Lichtenburg Magistrate's Court in North West on Monday in connection with livestock to the value of about R650 000 stolen on a farm in the area. Police spokesperson, Aafje Botma, says a total of 152 cattle and sheep were loaded on trucks on Saturday at the Rhenosterhoek farm. This is after the suspect and two other men arrived at the same farm on January 2, informing the farm workers that the farm has been sold. She says the same men returned on Saturday with two trucks. They allegedly ordered the farm workers to gather all the cattle and sheep to the kraal because they bought the animals and came to collect the stock. According to Botma the animals were allegedly transported to Hoopstad in the Free State to be sold. Following an investigation the suspect was arrested in Lichtenburg shortly after. Botma says the investigation continues to locate the the stolen stock and more arrests could follow.

OFM News