Brown locusts continue to wreak havoc across the Northern Cape. The locust outbreak, which started in September 2020, continues in areas around Kakamas, Douglas, and Kuruman.
Affected farmers say swarms of locusts have destroyed their grazing land.
Agri Northern Cape Chair, Nico Jansen, says the Department of Agriculture and Land Reform has partnered with the union in trying to contain the insects.
“Agri Northern Cape is deeply concerned about the outbreak of locusts especially because it has been a very long season. It started in September and it’s now the middle of May and we still have swamps of two by one kilometres in diameter. It has definitely a negative impact on the availability of winter grazing for the stock farmers and that is a concern for us.”
The Northern Cape Department of Agriculture and Land Reform says they are relying on the winter season to help them curb the brown locust outbreak currently ravaging the province. Spokesperson for the provincial department, Zandisile Luphahla, says efforts to contain the outbreak continue.
“In Kakamas and ZF Mgcawu, they are moving steadily, flying towards a certain direction. As indicated, we are unable to control in dwellings but we do it only when they move to the veld. Our teams are always on the ground, trying by all means to control, especially after they have moved from the dwellings. As we are approaching winter, we will not see the swarms,” says Luphahla.
More information about the outbreak:
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