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The DA in the Western Cape calls for a Provincial State of Disaster to be declared in the Western Cape, following the flooding experienced in the province in June of this year.

In a parliamentary reply received from the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, Minister Ivan Meyer made clear that his department is hard at work verifying the damages caused by the flooding, and will aid in compiling a report for the Western Cape Government to submit to the National Disaster Management Centre.

The declaration of a Provincial State of Disaster will enable funding to be transferred from the National Government to the Western Cape Government, to aid in recovery efforts. With the key role of agriculture in the Western Cape’s economy, it is of the utmost importance that this process is speedily finalised.

Damages to Western Cape agriculture infrastructure is estimated to be in excess of R1 billion by the Department of Agriculture, and government will need sufficient funding to rebuild crucial infrastructure, such as roads, energy and water infrastructure, that will allow our farmers to get their products to market.

MPP Andricus van der Westhuizen: “Agriculture supports thousands of livelihoods in the Western Cape, and the industry needs support to ensure that the infrastructure they need to get their products to market is in place. The declaration of a Provincial State of Disaster to facilitate the flow of recovery funds from the National Government is crucial to ensuring that jobs are protected.

The DA-led Western Cape Government is hard at work to make sure that the correct procedure to apply for disaster funding is followed, and stands ready to play its part in coordinating the disaster response. The DA will do everything in its power to make sure our farmers and farmworkers are put in the best position to resume their activities.”

Issued by Andricus van der Westhuizen, MPP - DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning