PROPOSED INSTABLISHMENT OF THEMBALETHU SMALL SCALE FARMERS ON THE REMAINDER AND PORTIONS: 5, 12, 16, 51, 57,61,62,78 AND 204 OF SANDKRAAL FARM PORTION 197 LOCATED IN GEORGE

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) intends to increase participation in the production of food by households and communities, to attain food security and access to food at the household and community levels. In response to this call, the Thembalethu DALRRD and other development structures have created the Thembalethu Farmers Production Support Unit (FPSU) to provide financial support, infrastructure and mechanization, production inputs, and structured training to improve primary production and improve market access to farmers. Thembalethu FPSU consists of 128 members belonging to 7 primary cooperatives and the management structure in place consisting of 2 representatives from each coo-operative to try and coordinate the farming system. Thus, the Thembalethu FPSU intends to cover over 100 hectares with vegetables, maize, and legumes and 246 hectares for livestock production including pigs, sheep, cattle and poultry, contributing to local food security and the local economy.

The proposed activity requires an Environmental Authorisation (EA) in terms of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998) as amended (NEMA). Rafuni (Pty) Ltd has been appointed by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) to oversee the environmental assessment process in support of an application for environmental authorisation for the proposed activity.

Thembalethu Small Scale Farmers is a mixed farming project in piggery, sheep, goats, cattle and chickens. Approximately 20ha are currently utilized by informal pig farmers. These areas are located at the top of steep slopes, which exacerbates the contamination of local rivers within the area. The piggeries are located within very close proximity to human settlement and because of their informal nature, people and the domestic animals are subjected to an extremely unhygienic living environment. There is a great need to demolish and relocate the pig stalls to a dedicated area that is controlled, demarcated and with proper infrastructure and safe and healthy management measures in place.

Approximately 270ha of the land is used for grazing, characterized by undefined boundaries (no camps), which makes the land prone to overgrazing. Approximately 10ha is currently being used for intensive vegetable production. The area needs to be fenced off to protect the crops against grazing animals. It requires further infrastructure such as irrigation, boreholes to optimize its potential.

Cattle numbers are extremely beyond the farm capacity and thus there is little room for optimal performance. Most of the cattle are in poor condition, with high possibility of plastic bag syndrome (animals ingested retail plastic and disposable nappies). The cattle are mixed breeds rendering any breeding programs impossible to follow. Small stock (sheep, goats, pigs)numbers are exacerbating the veld degradation. The lack of fence (boundary and subdivision) are minimizing any grazing control. Improving fencing structure will help to ensure effective rotational grazing and help farmers to control their livestock on what and when to graze. Livestock that are not controlled on what to graze can be exposed to diseases and internal parasites that affects health conditions of the livestock. Grazing camps are required to guide how many livestock per grazing camps to control grazing capacity. Proper grazing training should be provided to farmers to improve the quality of livestock.

The pigs are kept in makeshift houses which is the most challenging hygiene situation whilst being fed table scraps/swills. Many free-roaming pigs fend in rubbish dumps where there are used disposable nappies. These pigs are a health hazard , especially with measles and environmental / water contamination ( to human beings that eat the infested untested meat). The lack of livestock handling facilities make it virtually impossible to render any animal related function around the farm.

Dwelling and farming activities within a powerline servitude. This is a huge hazard as people and livestock lives are in danger. Stock dams water contamination on the eastern side of the farm. The dams are fed by the water that runs from several pig styes. Many of the livestock and health –related acts are currently not being observed, making the situation worse, from livestock identification, animal health, environmental and meat safety point of view. The lack of permanent source of water makes any dedicated farming activities to be a huge risk. The farm is bordered by the river (Skaapkop). These rivers can be used to draw water from depending on water potability tests and water rights.

Rural Infrastructure Development committed to the following:
Drilling of borehole.
Paving
Fencing