The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on the Northern Cape Department of Agriculture to work with the Kamiesberg and Namakwa local and district municipalities to restore the use of previously donated farming implements to local emerging farmers.
In around 2017, the department built a communal storage shed in Kharkams and donated millions of rands worth of farming equipment to the Kamiesberg emerging grain farmers. The equipment included approximately seven tractors and hay balers, amongst other things. Farmers had access to the equipment when needed. Some of the machinery that was not suited to the smallholder farmers, was used by commercial farmers in the area, who provided their own fuel for the use of the implements.
Things went well until the Covid pandemic struck. Due to the provincial agricultural department apparently never officially placing the shed and implements into the care of the Kamiesberg municipality, there was a lack of oversight, and the equipment and implements started disappearing.
Today, there is only one tractor and a trailer left, forcing emerging farmers to resort back to ploughing their land with donkeys.
The storage shed has also been damaged and is being rented out to a local recycling company.
The DA has traced one tractor and one baler to the farm of a senior, local ANC politician. The engine of the tractor has been removed. We have also found implements on the farms of other connected cadres. One farmer claims the tractor is his because it broke down on his property. Two tractors were further spotted on farms in Leliesfontein and some other implements have been seen in Paulshoek.
The Kamiesberg municipality has also taken over a tractor for refuse removal and ad hoc tasks, like moving pipes. See pic here.
The DA has appealed to the department to restore the storage shed, halt the lease, and work with the local and district municipality to get all implements back to a central point. If there is no response to our call for action, we will take this matter further.
These implements are intended to help Kamiesberg farmers grow the local economy. They are not there for misuse by municipalities and connected cadres.