Small-scale farmers in Mpumalanga and Limpopo are facing financial pressure after prolonged rainfall led to flooding that has been declared a national disaster. Producers report widespread crop losses and damage to on-farm and public infrastructure, with recovery efforts ongoing as rain continues in several areas.
Following the declaration, farmers and local communities are working to restore homes, fields, and access routes. The national government has estimated that damage caused by the floods amounts to billions of rands, with impacts extending across farming operations and rural infrastructure.
Smangele Makoto, a crop farmer from Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga, said the rain hit during a period of market deliveries, when demand was rising. She outlined losses across several crops.
"The rain has affected me a lot. I have lost around 3 500 cabbages because of the high impact of the rain, and I also lost 4 500 beetroot, and 2 900 spinach. So, for a small-scale farmer like me, this has a dire impact on the operations," she said.
Makoto added that replanting is now unavoidable. "Now we need to replant again because there is nothing we can do about the crops that have been damaged, and this also has severe financial implications. It seems the rain is not done yet in this area."
She said mop-up operations had been difficult to assess as rainfall continued, limiting movement in affected areas.
In Limpopo, macadamia nut farmer Lutendo Maumela reported that rainfall in the Venda area has persisted for several weeks, beginning as early as November. She highlighted road and bridge damage as a major constraint.
"A lot of things got damaged, especially roads. Mind you, it's that time of ploughing maize, and most of the bridges have collapsed. Other roads, never mind gravel or tar, are damaged beyond recognition," she said.
Maumela said soil erosion is now a growing concern as sustained rainfall continues to affect field conditions and long-term productivity.
In a statement, the Department of Cooperative Governance said severe weather, including heavy rainfall, strong winds, lightning, and flooding, affected Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and North West. The impacts include damage to infrastructure and property, environmental degradation, displacement of communities, and disruption to agricultural activities and schooling.
The department said that, following the classification, national authorities have assumed responsibility for coordinating disaster management. It added that government entities are required to support disaster management structures, implement contingency measures, and report progress to ensure coordinated response and recovery efforts.
Source: Food for Mzansi
