Nonhlanhla Ntuli
Zanele Lukhele the owner of Fontotje animal feeds in Mpumalanga province is concerned that the production capacity of her business is very low due to load shedding and recent floods that hit the Nkomazi Region.
The agriculture sector like many other sectors in South Africa finds itself headed down a dark path as a result of the impact of the country’s continuing loadshedding.Only time would tell whether the recently announced
interventions by the government, including the introduction of a Minister of
Electricity and debt relief for Eskom, would be the light at the end of the
tunnel for the sector.
A call by Agri SA for the agriculture sector to be declared
an essential service to mitigate the devastating impact and looming threat to
the country’s food security proved futile as experts said exemption from load
shedding would be near-impossible.
Responding to the call, as reported in the Cape Argus, the
National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) suggested Agri SA negotiate
bilaterally with Eskom on terms and that “the NDMC could not classify the
agriculture sector as an essential service, because it should be negotiated
with the National Energy Crisis Committee (Necom).”
While the ball is still up in the air, small agricultural
businesses like Fontotje Animal Feeds in Mpumalanga continue to suffer.
“Loadshedding is negatively impacting the farming sector,
and we are seeing a drop in poultry farmers wanting to grow broiler chickens
because broiler productions demand electricity,” said Zanele Lukhele the owner
of Fontotje Animal Feeds.
She added that they are concerned about access to
electricity during winter months when there is usually pressure on the
electricity grid. Her business sells animal feed, supplements , and medication
for domestic animals , and the business also sells poultry equipment.
“The additional portfolio to the President's Cabinet might
not yield the desired outcome, especially for small businesses in townships
such as mine,” she added.
Lukhele believes exempting the sector from load shedding
seems like a plausible solution. She further explained that her business’s
capacity was currently very low due to load shedding and recent floods that hit
the Nkomazi Region.
Despite the loadshedding challenges the business is going
through, it’s still creating a positive impact by supplying farmers with
agricultural inputs in the Nkomazi Region since 2021. This is in partnership
with the Presidential Employment Stimulus Initiative and the Department of
Agriculture and land Affairs.
“I’m proud that my business currently employs 11 people that
can now take care of their families,” she said.
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