Veterinarian, Dr Faffa Malan, tells OFM News these weather conditions are conducive to spreading disease, as most of these diseases are spread through insects. He says that vaccinating animals should be considered immediately, and that farmers who were unable to vaccinate should implement alternative measures such as spraying animals with insecticides and moving their livestock to high lying areas - away from water. Malan says farm workers, farmers and hunters should be cautious when working with infected animals as these diseases can spread to people.

Free State Agriculture has declared a district in the Free State a flood disaster area, with more than half of the crops in the western parts of the Free State suffering severe flood damages. According to Free State Agriculture's Jakkels le Roux, urgent intervention will be needed to help keep flood-stricken farmers in the Lejweleputswa district on their land. He says enormous flood damage was also reported in Tswelopele between Bultfontein and Wesselsbron, and in the Masilonyana Municipality where a dam's wall at a mine dump, in which the municipality releases raw sewage, burst and flooded massive tracts of farmland, possibly with concentrated arsenic and heavy metals. Le Roux says that the matter has been submitted to the provincial Department of Agriculture and they are awaiting a response. He adds it is too late to replant maize, soybeans, and even sunflowers as these crops will not survive. They are appealing to agribusinesses, banks and insurance companies to also come up with ways to help keep their loyal customers on their farms, as state aid alone does not help some farmers, says Le Roux.

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Swarms of locusts blanket parts of the Northern Cape. The Northern Cape Department of Agriculture cautions communities and tourists in the province of the upsurge of flying brown locusts in various towns. This is as a result of recent wet weather conditions. According to departmental spokesperson, Zandisile Luphahla, the hoppers have hatched and reached their flying stages. He says that the influx of swarms have crossed the Namibian border into the province invading many homes. New generations of the locust have already been discovered in Springbok, Askham, Blad-grond, Colesberg, and Sutherland. OFM News can report that the locust outbreaks have been spotted by travellers earlier this week, with the outbreak increasing rapidly.

OFM News