Government official caught in pig neglect allegations

Former Bela-Bela municipal manager Andrew Dipela has been accused by the Democratic Alliance (DA) of allegedly starving pigs on the government-owned Rietspruit Farm, near Modimolle, Limpopo.

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This follows the July 2014 discovery of starved, dying and dead farm animals on the North West farm of Thandi Modise, chairperson of the National Council of Provinces.

In a telephone conversation with Farmer’s Weekly, Dipela said the allegations was a political game being played by the DA and one of its members, who Dipela described as also being the head of the Mokopane SPCA.

However, DA shadow minister of agriculture, Annette Steyn, said in a statement this serious neglect allegedly led to cannibalistic behaviour where adult pigs were found eating their piglets in order to survive.

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“Appropriate support must be given to all emerging farmers. Land reform cannot be allowed to fail due to government’s inability to support emerging farmers,” said Steyn.