Agri SA welcomes new disaster regulations on energy

Agri SA’s chief economist Kulani Siweya says the farming sector has welcomed the release of the disaster regulations.

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DISASTER REGULATIONS ON ELECTRICITY CONSTRAINTS

On Tuesday Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma gazetted the disaster management regulations on electricity constraints.

The regulations were made public two weeks after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the country’s energy crisis would be declared a state of disaster. This is to allow government the means to resolve the problem.

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LOAD SHEDDING IMPACT ON FARMING SECTOR

The regulations will see government exempt food production and food storage facilities from load shedding where possible.

“Load shedding has had a dire impact on the farming sector”, says Siweya.

Siweya added that the load shedding in 2022 cost the sector about R23 billion in terms of the losses and the impact thereof. However, it does not just have an impact on food production itself but it had a ripple effect on other factors.

“We consider employment for example where the farmers themselves will probably need to keep the employees on the farm over an extended period of time in order for them to cover up for the time lost during load shedding,” 

JOB LOSSES EXPECTED IN FARMING SECTOR

Siweya warned that job losses may become a reality in the farming sector.

“We haven’t had any reports (of workers being laid off) and we do not want to create a panic, however, this is a real threat that is posed by load shedding in this sector and the absence of any intervention that directly speaks to the safeguarding the sector from this.

Siweya added that unfortunately this may become a reality and we may see this kind of news in the sector.

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FARMERS ENCOURAGED TO COMPLETE IMPACT ASSESSMENTS

Campher says the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs minister, Nkosazana Zuma’s announcement follows a week of heavy rainfall with more rain expected.

“We encourage farmers to complete the impact assessments provided by the respective provincial disaster management centres to account for the damages suffered due to inclement weather.”

ALSO READ: Floods: Mpumalanga municipality working towards suitable land

Meanwhile, Ehlanzeni District Municipality Mayor, Jesta Sidell says she is working with the Human Settlements Department in Mpumalanga to identify suitable land for victims of the floods in the province.