Durban-vloede: Dringende aksie nodig om werkverliese in die landbousektor te verhoed | Durban floods: Urgent action needed to avoid job losses in agricultural sector
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20 April 2022
Agri SA is diep geraak oor die onlangse oorstromings in KwaZulu-Natal en ander dele van die land. Die lewensverlies en skade aan eiendom het geweldige pyn en lyding veroorsaak en die organisasie betuig sy meegevoel met diegene wat geliefdes verloor het.
Agri SA verwelkom die herklassifisering van die provinsiale ramp na ’n nasionale ramp weens die uitwerking van die uiterse ramptoestande. Dit sal daartoe bydra dat broodnodige hulpbronne beskikbaar gestel kan word om die geweldige skade aan infrastruktuur te herstel.
Agri SA en sy provinsiale affiliasie Kwanalu en geaffekteerde bedryfsgroeperings sal die regering bystaan waar hulle kan, veral om seker te maak dat die kritieke Durbanse hawe weer so spoedig moontlik funksioneer. Agterstande wat reeds opgebou het, hou veral gevolge in vir bederfbare landbouprodukte wat behoorlik geberg en vervoer moet word.
Die situasie is baie ernstig en vereis dringende en gefokusde aandag om te verseker dat boere in staat is om hul produkte by die mark te kry. Die regering moet dus die herstel van paaie en toegang tot ’n funksionele hawe prioritiseer ten einde voorraadketting-onderbrekings te beperk. Indien daar onnodige vertragings in dié opsig is, kan dit aanleiding gee tot werkverliese en moontlik ’n tekort aan landbouprodukte.
Agri SA sal voortgaan om Kwanalu te ondersteun in sy pogings om die situasie te monitor en te evalueer en sal alles moontlik doen om te help om die skade te versag wat deur die sektor ervaar word as gevolg van die katastrofiese vloede.
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Andrea Campher Bestuurder: Risiko- en rampeenheid, Agri SA
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Agri SA is deeply saddened by the recent flooding in KwaZulu-Natal and other parts of the country. The loss of life and property has caused enormous pain and suffering, and we extend our condolences to those who have lost loved ones.
Agri SA welcomes the reclassification of the previously declared provincial disaster as a national disaster due to the impact of severe weather events. This will help free up much-needed resources to help address the extensive damage to infrastructure.
Agri SA and its provincial affiliation Kwanalu and affected commodity groupings will assist government wherever they can, especially to help make sure that the critically important Durban port is able to function again as soon as possible. Already backlogs have developed, and this is particularly serious for the export of perishable agricultural products which need to be properly stored and transported.
The situation is very serious and is going to require urgent and focused action to make sure farmers are able to get their product to market. Government therefore needs to prioritise road repair and access to a functioning port as top priorities to limit supply chain disruptions. If there are any unnecessary delays in this regard, then it will have a knock-on effect that could lead to job losses and possible shortages of agricultural products.
Agri SA will continue to support Kwanalu in its efforts to monitor and assess the situation and do everything possible to help mitigate the damage that has been experienced by the sector as a result of the catastrophic floods.
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Andrea Campher Agri SA Manager: Risk and Disaster Unit
