Day: February 7, 2024

Western Cape Agriculture MEC, Dr Ivan Meyer, has urged the agriculture sector to take the necessary measures to protect lives, livestock, crops and agricultural infrastructure amid the continued extreme heat and numerous veld fires across the province.

Western Cape MEC for Agriculture, Dr Ivan Meyer, said his first concern is for agri-workers, producers and farmers, who are daily exposed to harsh climatic conditions.

Meyer said climate change has a dramatic impact on weather patterns and in extreme conditions, poses a threat to the lives of agri-workers and producers.

‘The department recognises the impact of climate change and disasters on the agricultural sector. The increase in both the frequency and intensity of disasters has necessitated the need for the department to focus on disaster risk reduction and mitigation strategies,’ Meyer said.

The MEC said early weather warnings are distributed as and when needed to all stakeholders.

The department’s Director: Sustainable Resource Use and Management, Ash
ia Petersen, said during high fire seasons, the establishment of fire control committees is essential and open-air fires are strictly prohibited.

‘In general, an alarm system, firefighting teams and plans must be prepared in advance to mitigate the impact of a wildfire. It is extremely important to know the contact details of the closest fire/emergency response unit,’ Petersen said.

Petersen warned that during extremely hot conditions, animals may suffer heat stress.

‘Heat stress can greatly impact cattle producers through decreased milk production and subsequent calf growth, decreased reproductive performance in livestock and decreased stocker and feeder performance,’ Petersen said.

The department said it will continue to work closely with district disaster management centres, including the provincial disaster management centre and organised agriculture, to ensure that farmers receive the necessary support when dealing with disasters.

What to do during veld fires

During veld fires, farmers should move
livestock to safety and out of grazing land to ploughed fields.

If water is not available in sufficient quantities or at adequate pressure for the control of major fires, sand or other loose mineral soil material can be an effective method of control.

Farmers must ensure that a firebreak is reasonably free of material capable of carrying a veld fire across it.

‘The farming communities should also establish fire protection associations to prevent and control veld fires; and insure crops/livestock against financial loss due to fire damage,’ the department said.

Advice to livestock and crop farmers:

Identify animals that are most susceptible to heat stress.

Develop an action plan for heat stress.

Animals in heat stress need to drink water.

Move the animals’ feeding time to late afternoon or evening.

Provide shade if possible. Air movement also promotes animal cooling.

Cool the ground and the animals gradually and add bedding to the ground (this will reduce the ground temperature).

Control flies
as much as possible.

Do not work cattle during extreme temperatures.

Pay attention to long- and short-term weather forecasts and keep a copy of the temperature humidity index chart handy.

Do not irrigate during the day, as more water will evaporate. Instead, irrigate early in the morning.

Select heat and drought-resistant crops for the area in which you are farming.

Use mulch to minimise evaporation.

To access the fact sheets on fire and heat, go to https://shorturl.at/cvzE8.

Source: South African Government News Agency

OTJIWARONGO: An adult male driver of a Volkswagen sedan with an Outjo registration number plate, died instantly on Wednesday morning after his vehicle collided head-on with a mini-truck belonging to a private courier service on the B1 road south of Otjiwarongo.

Namibian Police Force (NamPol) crime investigations coordinator in the Otjozondjupa Region, Deputy Commissioner Edna Nawa told Nampa on the same day that the deceased is yet to be identified as no identity documents were found on him.

Nawa said the deceased who was alone at the time of the incident, was travelling from the direction of Otjiwarongo towards Okahandja, while the truck headed the opposite direction.

‘At approximately 10 kilometres south of Otjiwarongo, the two cars collided with severe impact, killing the sedan driver on the spot,’ said Nawa.

Preliminary police investigations indicate that the truck allegedly veered to the right side of the road where the collision occurred, Nawa said.

A 37-year-old male driver of the truck sustained
slight injuries and he was treated at the Otjiwarongo State Hospital.

A culpable homicide docket has been opened against him, (truck driver) and police investigations continue.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane has expressed devastation at the death of a Grade 1 girl learner who passed away after allegedly consuming biscuits from a local spaza shop.

In an incident that took place on Tuesday, it is alleged that the learner from Mandlethu Primary School in Tsakane, Brakpan, began experiencing health complications in class just before break at 11am and started vomiting a few minutes later.

According to the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE), the learner’s parents were contacted immediately to come to the school, while emergency services were also alerted to provide the necessary medical assistance.

‘Unfortunately, the learner was certified dead by paramedics upon arrival. According to information at our disposal, the parents confirmed that the child had consumed biscuits which were bought from a local spaza shop owned by foreign nationals,’ the GDE said.

Police are investigating circumstances surrounding this incident, while the department’s Psycho-Social Support Unit has be
en deployed to provide trauma support and counselling to all affected individuals.

‘We are deeply saddened by this unfortunate incident.

‘We plead with parents to be vigilant concerning the edible goods that their children consume. We call upon law enforcement agencies and municipalities to be more stringent on compliance matters related to spaza shop products. Indeed, we wish to extend our sincerest condolences to the family and the school community at large,’ MEC Chiloane said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

WINDHOEK: The late President Hage Geingob’s lawyer, Sisa Namandje, has said Geingob drove a historically aggressive legislative agenda that brought about massive socio-economic changes.

Paying tribute during an evening devotion in honour of the late Geingob here Tuesday, Namandje said it is often forgotten that Geingob, without wavering, ensured that the institution and policies of apartheid were dismantled from the date of Namibia’s independence.

He particularly emphasised the period between 1990 and 2002 when Geingob as prime minister and leader of government business in the national assembly ensured that hundreds of pieces of legislation were put forth for the benefit of Namibians.

‘This area of achievement by Dr Geingob is usually ignored and underrated. To me it is one of the biggest achievements by him in our quest as a nation to dismantle the shameful legacy of apartheid and colonialism,’ he said.

He noted that Geingob’s legacy will continue past the mourning period, through the constitution of whi
ch Namibians should have a desire and determination to promote the dignity, unity, and integrity of the nation internally and its relations and association with the outside world.

‘As our chief constitutional architect he ensured that there is a specific obligatory duty on us to achieve, maintain national reconciliation and all points to foster peace, unity and common loyalty to a single state,’ he noted.

Namandje further noted that the late president was tribal neutral and disliked tribalism, noting that he hated those who engaged and traded in tribal arrogance and dominance or for cheap political theatrics.

‘He wanted a nation in which his sons and daughters could relate without tribal impediments or consideration for the unity of purpose and harmonious existence… he said this until a few days before departure,’ he recalled.

Namandje said going forward, Geingob’s legacy will guide the present leaders to steer the Namibian ship safely.

Geingob, 82, died on Sunday in Windhoek.

Source: The Namibia Press
Agency

OHAILOMBO: Hundreds of community members from Ohailombo and surrounding villages in the Oshikoto Region over the weekend joined Ohailombo headwoman, Dr Martha Namundjebo-Tilahun, in cultivating her fields in a gesture of gratitude for her assistance.

The roughly 350 residents offered their help through a ceremony called ‘Oshitemo’, which was used in the past by village headmen to unite communities. The word ‘Oshitemo’ is derived from the hoe Aawambo people use for weeding.

In return, the headwoman and business personality donated 150 bags of maize meal and 72 bottles of cooking oil to the community, many of whom were from the nearby villages of Ohailombo, Ohaiyanda, Okandjeke, Omawe, and Uulumbilo.

They were led by Ohaiyanda village’s headman, Johannes Shigwedha, who stated that they want to thank Namundjebo-Tilahun for the various ways in which she assisted them last year.

‘We do not know how to thank her, so we used the traditional way to show appreciation for giving us animal feed last year that led us
not to losing our animals to last year’s drought,’ said Shigwedha.

In her remarks, Namunjebo-Tilahun said people give to those who extend a helping hand and she wanted to thank them in return, hence the donation of food items.

Amidst the crowd was the governor of the Oshikoto Region, Penda Ya Ndakolo, who also acknowledged the gesture and thanked the community for coming to help her.

Namundjebo-Tilahun also encouraged the residents to work together and help each other so they can produce enough mahangu for their own consumption.

‘If we have needs, I want us to bring them here so we can figure out some solutions because we are one,’ she said.

Namundjebo-Tilahun last week also donated items worth N.dollars 100 000 to learners at Ponhofi Secondary School in the Ohangwena Region. These included school bags, bedding, mattresses, towels, and N.dollars 20 000 in cash.

She pledged to provide a scholarship to the best performing learner at the school.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

WINDHOEK: ‘He was very efficient and very cool. He could be hard, but he was always conciliatory and friendly. I can attribute what I have known and what I know now to him. A lot of it, I learned from him.’

These are the words of Frans Kapofi, Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, who was speaking to Nampa about his remembrance of the late Namibian President Hage Geingob, who passed away in a Windhoek hospital on Sunday.

Kapofi was appointed to the defence portfolio in 2021 by Geingob.

‘He was our commander-in-chief, and he has done so much for the defence force. And we have said farewell to him. We had a big parade that he addressed at our army headquarters, but we did not know that was going to be the last parade. We are very sad about that, but we just wish our president bon voyage. May his soul rest in eternal peace,’ the minister said in an interview on Wednesday.

With regard to stability, Kapofi gave his assurance that the Namibia is stable and the country’s security is in good hands.

‘The publi
c doesn’t need to despair. We have a new commander-in-chief who has taken over. And the defence force is ready, loyal to the Namibian flag, and remains unshaken, even though they lost the commander-in-chief, so our citizens must stay calm and let us mourn in peace.’

Source: The Namibia Press Agency