The Western Cape town of Beaufort West is still in the grips of the worst drought its ever faced and remains on Level 3 water restrictions.
The Gamkapoort Dam levels remain low, even after some rainfall last winter. Add lockdown to this escalating problem and there seems no end in sight for the affected farmers and farm workers.
This week, charity organisation, Gift of the Givers delivered food parcels to the farming communities to help sustain them and their families during this trying period.
Gift of the Givers said the seven year drought has taken its toll on residents
In a post on Facebook, Gift of the Givers noted that the seven year drought in the Karoo region has taken its toll on the residents. With dry boreholes, banks no longer able to extend loans, farm worker lay-offs and power cuts due to non-payment, to say it is a difficult period is an unstatement.
“Farmers have reduced more than a third of their livestock herds and only retain their breeding herds; due to a reduced number of lambs during the lambing season farmers have no income. Farmers can no longer afford diesel, animal feed, medical aid and varsity fees; savings and pension funds have long been depleted,” said Gift of the Givers.
The organisation has been supplying fodder and paying millions in transport costs to keep the communities running since 2017. They have also delivered thousands of food parcels to farm workers to keep their families fed.
This week they distributed food parcels to 200 farmers in Koup, Letjiesbos and Neverset outside Beaufort West at the La De Da farm.
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Save water at home:
- Check and fix all leaks on your property. See these handy tips from the City of Cape Town.
- Take shorter showers and turn off the shower while soaping up, then turn it back on to rinse.
- Make sure you put a full load into your washing machine and dishwasher before starting a wash cycle.
- Cut down the amount of water flushed down the toilet by placing a 2 litre plastic bottle full of water in the water tank (cistern) of your toilet.
- When washing dishes by hand, don’t leave the water running to rinse dishes.
- Use greywater (from the washing machine, basins, shower and bath) in the garden.
