The unemployment rate in the Northern Cape currently stands at a staggering 42%. One would expect that with all the natural riches this province has to offer, it would have a thriving agriculture sector.
To support job creation in the agricultural sector, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape will expand market access and opportunities in the formal sector for emerging farmers and commercial agribusiness alike, including export and trade opportunities from twinning agreements with international partners. Earlier this year, the Western Cape scored a deal worth R300 million annually for the export of chicken feet to China, showing what can be done when the right economic policy is implemented by the right people for the right reasons.
We will also reduce the impact of natural disasters by promoting climate resilience and improving the quality of support given to the agricultural sector. Extreme weather conditions in the Northern Cape does make the province vulnerable to the devastation caused by drought, floods, and runaway fires. The impact thereof is often worsened by the lack of proper disaster management. When a fire allegedly spread from the Lohatla training base in October 2023, delays in allowing farmers onto the base with their own personal fire-fighting equipment meant that the fires were out of control and laid waste to great swathes of land around Kuruman and Kathu. The Ga-Segonyana Local Municipality also failed to respond to fires that came within 500 meters of the buffer between Hotazel and the Thompson View housing estate, claiming that they have used their allocated kilometers for the week.
We will leverage the power of the premier’s office to ensure coordinated, cohesive disaster management, response, and relief when tragedy strikes.
To rescue the Northern Cape’s agricultural sector, and to support robust job creation in a thriving economy, it is important that voters put their faith in the DA on 29 May.