On a visit to the province, John Steenhuisen underscored the urgency for the electricity infrastructure to be fully operational. He vowed to escalate the critical issues concerning the electricity crisis and widespread damage.

A major concern was the collapse of between six and ten electricity pylons in the Waaihoek area between Wolseley and Worcester, leaving the region with a constrained power supply.

Industry leaders warned the estimated four-week repair timeline poses a serious threat to the fresh fruit industry, which is heavily reliant on electricity to maintain fruit quality and continue processing operations.

The flooding and electricity problems pose a serious threat to the export industry. Photo: Ground up

“The storm’s impact has been catastrophic,” said Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing chairman Pieter Graaff. “As rivers swelled, roads, homes and lives were swept away. The damage to infrastructure will take years to repair and cost billions of rand.

“This disaster has set our province back significantly, but with strong leadership, we will prevail. There is more than 300,000t of freshly harvested export fruit … in cold storage that requires electricity to maintain market quality.

“There’s insufficient generator capacity to keep these cold stores operational, while diesel costs are placing enormous financial pressure on businesses.” 

One of the six to ten electricity pylons that collapsed in the Waaihoek area between Wolseley and Worcester. Photo: Tru-Cape

Ceres received 488mm of rain over the three days, while parts of the Witzenberg Valley recorded more than 600mm. The town of Ceres is receiving electricity from an alternative source, Graaff added, but it supplies only approximately 15% to 20% of the area’s total demand.

Growers in the Elgin, Grabouw, Villiersdorp and Vyeboom areas also faced crop losses, said Two-a-day managing director Attie van Zyl. “We still have some apples on the trees, mostly Sundowners. Approximately one-third of the fruit that remained on the trees was blown off by the wind and will now be diverted for juice. Fortunately, this represents only about 2.5% of the total crop.”

Steenhuisen said he was impressed by the determination and resilience shown by farmers and communities during this difficult period, committed to ensuring they receive the necessary support and relief.

The fruit industry expressed appreciation for the visit by Steenhuisen, saying direct engagement with government leaders was critical to ensuring urgent intervention and long-term recovery support for one of South Africa’s most important export industries.

OFM Agri/Isabel van Tonder sm

• Share your agriculture news: agri@ofm.co.za.