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The DA is calling on the North West Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs to urgently provide assistance to farmers and rural communities affected by devastating runaway veldfires in the Kagisano Molopo Local Municipality which remain out of control.

It is estimated that more than 70 000 hectares of grazing has been lost and with nearly 15 fires blazing destruction concurrently in the Ganyesa and Morokweng area. State and tribal land has been affected the most by the fires.

Property, livestock and crops have been gutted by the ravaging flames.

Greater Taung, Vryburg and Ratlou have not been spared either. Requesting assistance from additional firefighting teams from other provinces, like the Western Cape, are being considered, but the provincial government has not yet made any effort to contact the relevant authorities.

Farmers supported by members of the community have been fighting fire since the first blaze ignited last week Wednesday. Today marks day 9 since the fire has been raging. Over the last 30 days farmers have responded to about 30 fires.

The efforts by farmers and the community to bring the blaze under control are supported by only two local fire trucks and firefighter teams. However, more firefighting support is needed to limit the destruction.

Once again, the Disaster Management Centre in the province has failed to adequately prepare for a disaster like this. It is currently the veldfire season, but the Disaster Management Centre failed to put in place measures to quickly respond to and extinguish possible fire outbreaks.

Disaster Management in North West suffer from a lack of resources, equipment, adequate planning, and a shortage of trained personnel to effectively mobilise when disaster strike. Those fighting fires in the frontline are not receiving any support either in terms of supplies or aerial support to survey the path of fires.

Requests for assistance from the North West Provincial Disaster Management Centre went unanswered until yesterday. After over a week of destruction, the Disaster Management have only now decided to establish a joint operation, a measure which should have been taken before the start of the veldfire season.

The DA has submitted several questions to COGHSTA about the readiness and effectiveness to prevent and respond to veldfires to which the MEC Lenah Miga replied that the Department is always ready, now proven false as evidenced by the destruction in Kagisano Molopo.

The DA will write to MEC Miga on COGHSTA to declare a state of disaster in Kagisano Molopo so that additional resources are allocated to alleviate the impact of the fire and that affected farmers and communities can receive the relief they now need. We will also be requesting an audit of the Disaster Management equipment, reflecting the state of the equipment along with shortages in the province.

Issued by Gavin Edwards MPL - DA North West Spokesperson on Agriculture and Rural Development