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Agricultural organisations are concerned about the effects of minimum wage on farmers. According to Agri SA’s Head of Labour and Development, Lebogang Sethusha, the Department of Employment and Labour had published the increase of the national minimum wage, effective from the 1st of March 2022. Sethusha says the minimum wage is set to increase from R21.69 to R23.19, which translates to a 6.9% increase. She says that they appreciate the important balance maintained by the minister of employment but are concerned about farmers’ sustainability. Reflecting on the sector's financial resilience, farmers have absorbed extraordinary increases in input costs - ranging from fertilisers, fuel prices, electricity price hikes and the double-digit increase of the minimum wage in 2021.

Vrystaatse boere is verpletter deur voortdurende reënval en vloede wat boerdery 'n uiters moeilike taak gemaak het. Jakkels le Roux, 'n mielieboer in Wesselsbron, Vrystaat, sê die weerstoestande het baie damme en watertafels gevul, maar die skade wat aangerig is, maak die herstelproses uiters lank. Hy sê die meeste van sy mielies is heeltemal deur die vloede weggespoel. Le roux sê toegang tot plase is ook moeilik aangesien die paaie deur water verspoel word. Boere van die Noordelike en Oostelike dele van die Vrystaat het die meeste gely.

In response to the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in southern parts of the Western Province, the Western Cape Department of Agriculture’s Veterinary officials have been assisting affected smallholder farmers to prevent the further spread of the disease. Departmental spokesperson, Daniel Johnson, tells OFM News that an estimated 240 pigs have died as a result of ASF in the area. He says that they are on the last day of their 3-day information sessions about ASF and that they will be ending off their campaign in Plettenburg Bay on Wednesday, after it started on Monday. Johnson adds that both areas have been placed under quarantine. This means that pigs or pig products may not be moved out of these areas without a permit issued by the local state veterinary office, and that carcasses need to be disposed of responsibly.

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Die Noordwes-polisiebeampte wat Maandag voor die hof verskyn het vir korrupsie wat verband hou met 'n veediefstalvoertuig, is in aanhouding. Amanda Funani, polisiewoordvoerder, sê dit volg nadat die 34-jarige polisieman bereid was om die voertuig waarop beslag gelê is, wat in veediefstalsaak gebruik is, aan die verdagte terug te gee in ruil vir omkoopgeld. Sy sê die man het na bewering gereël om op Vrydag, 4 Februarie, met die polisiebeampte te vergader om die geld wat hy versoek het om die voertuig vry te laat aan hom te oorhandig. Die polisiebeampte is in hegtenis geneem nadat hy met die geld in sy besit betrap is.

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