Farmers desperate for water

UPINGTON COMMONAGE: CARTING SUPPLY FROM HOMES IN TRUCKS TO KEEP LIVESTOCK ALIVE

- Liezl Human

Small livestock farmers on common land in Upington are desperate for water. The farmers' kraals and grazing areas are on municipal commonage in this hot and arid town south of the Kalahari desert.

The Hondejag commonage lies between the townships of Rosedale and Paballelo. It is owned by the Dawid Kruiper municipality, and according to draft municipal policy, which dates from 2022, it is to be used for the "empowerment of emerging farmers within the municipal area" and the "alleviation of poverty by making land available to poor residents".

This policy has yet to be applied.

Little grows on the sandy plains. And most of the 80 or so farmers on the commonage do not have access to water at their kraals for sheep, goats and cattle.

There are communal water tanks supplied by the municipality, but the farmers say there is little water in the tanks.

Andre van Wyk, who farms on the Rosedale side of the commonage, said that the pressure in the water tanks is very bad and water only dribbles out, if at all.

It is worst on hot days, he said. "We are dependent on the vegetation," said Van Wyk.

Farmers have resorted to fetching water from their homes and carting it daily in their trucks to their thirsty livestock.

Rosedale farmers are also battling frequent livestock theft. There is no fencing.