07 March 2024
MEDIA STATEMENT: AN INTERGRATED APPROACH WITH ALL ROLE PLAYERS CAN YIELD A POSITIVE RESULTS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST VELDFIRES.
TO: ALL MEDIA
An integrated approach by all role players such as the traditional leaders, Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, COGHSTA, Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform and the JTG District Municipality can yield positive results in the fight against veld fires.
This as all affected stakeholders converged in Kuruman- John Taolo Gaetsewe District to deliberate on the significant role traditional leaders can play in encouraging their farming community to affiliate under the Fire Protection Association (FPA).
Cooperation between rural land owners and farmers of land are required for the effective management of veldfires. The National Veld and Forestry Act No. 101 of 1998 provides a framework for a consistent way for owners to organise and collaborate in veldfire management.
Rural land owners need to have a collective self –sufficiency to manage veldfires because is too costly for government to provide this services on their behalf. Most emerging and communal farmers don’t have firefighting equipment and for the Department to assist, traditional leaders have to play a meaningful role in assisting to coordinate the resources intended to be donated during veldfires.
Coordination of awareness programme and support in general from government in terms of preparedness, fire suppression and recovery after disaster will be made possible by traditional leaders with their support.
Land users, especially farmers at communal land are reluctant to change or become part of FPA’s that mainly consists of commercial farmers. Hence deliberations with traditional leaders as a way of reaching communal farmers. As a results most landowners and communities in rural areas are bound to carry the cost of protecting their own properties.
Mr Bongani Silingile – Media Liaison Officer
Office of the MEC
Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs,
Rural Development and Land Reform
Cell: 082 675 1841
Email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
daerl.ncpg.gov.za