27 July 2007
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Agriculture and Environmental Affairs Honourable
Mtholephi Mthimkhulu (MPL) today (Saturday, 28 July) expressed his concern at
the humanitarian catastrophe brought about by the veld fires that have been
reported raging in the Winterton, Inkandla and Paulpietersburg areas of the
province.
In the Paulpietersburg area, seven people have been reported to have died in
the veld fires that have enveloped the small farming northern KwaZulu-Natal
town since the veld fires began yesterday (Friday) morning from the nearby
Mpumalanga border town of Wakkerstroom before spreading to Paulpietersburg.
Unconfirmed reports say the death toll could be as high as 17 as rescue workers
were still combing the vast burnt-out areas.
In the southern part of the town of Paulpietersburg, damage estimated to be
running in several millions of rands by the local farmers association was
caused when runaway fires engulfed the greater part of grazing land, timber and
residential areas of farm hands. A farmhouse belonging to a local farmer was
also razed to ground. Several hundred livestock was also destroyed.
MEC Mthimkhulu said he had also received reports of devastating damage that
had been caused by runaway veld fires which started on Friday, 27 July in the
aforesaid areas. In the Winterton area in the Midlands part of the province, a
child attending a local township cr�che was reported to have died after being
overcome by the flames.
In addition several fire-fighters had to be hospitalised after suffering
minor burns and smoke inhalation. Damage had also been caused to property,
livestock and animal feed such as cattle fodder. In the Winterton area,
officials of the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs had, on
Saturday, begun to distribute compensation claim forms to the Local and
District municipalities so that they could be given to communal farmers. The
local farmers association will be doing likewise with the commercial
farmers.
In addition the Department of Agriculture has mobilised its State Veterinary
Services personnel to go into communal areas to perform emergency slaughtering
of burnt livestock. Acting Head of Department of Agriculture and Environmental
Affairs Siddiq Adam said emergency moves were afoot to buy cattle fodder for
the affected farmers in the interim to feed the remaining livestock.
"The Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs is very much
concerned at the latest incidents of spate of fires in the Winterton, Inkandla
and Paulpietersburg area of the province. The situation is very terrible and I
am in constant liaison with my colleagues MEC Meshack Radebe and MEC Mike
Mabuyakhulu who are both heading the Social Welfare and Population Development
and Local Government and Traditional Affairs portfolios.
We have tasked senior officials of our respective departments to co-ordinate
a joint humanitarian assistance response to the calamity currently unfolding
particularly in the Paulpietersburg which has been the hardest-hit of the three
areas as almost 80% of the area has been engulfed by veld fire," said MEC
Mthimkhulu.
He further said a joint ministerial delegation will be visiting the
fire-stricken area within the next two days to personally assess the extent of
the damage and also to bring humanitarian relief in the form of medical needs,
blankets, clothing, and tents for make-shift accommodation and food.
MEC Mthimkhulu added that the KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural Union (Kwanalu)
through its President Robin Barnsley has kept him abreast of all the
developments and was very appreciative of the spirit of co-operation between
the Office of the MEC and Kwanalu.
The MEC also made an appeal to humanitarian relief organisations to lend a
helping hand to the victims of the veld fires. He said, "The latest spate of
incidents of fire has happened barely a month after we also witnessed untold
damage to property, communal land, timber and forestry and agricultural
operations in the Midlands area. We were just about to complete the
verification process of the compensation claims of the earlier incident that
took place on 25 June in the Greater Howick area and now we found ourselves
having to deal with these incidents."
"We are saddened that the latest incidents of fires have claimed so many
lives and on behalf of the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs,
I would like to send our deepest condolences to the families and relatives who
lost their loved ones in this terrible incident. The Provincial Government of
KwaZulu-Natal commits itself that it will offer whatever assistance it deems
necessary to all the victims of fire."
For enquiries please contact:
Mbulelo Baloyi
Cell: 082 415 7277
Issued by: Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs,
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
27 July 2007
Source: SAPA
