Photo: SA Hunters
Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, Justus Harms, chairman of the SA Hunters Overberg branch, said the donations began with only a few bakkie loads of hay bales, but thanks to donations from various sources they were now delivering seven truckloads of bales every month.
The initiative began when Overberg hunters Frank Esterhuizen en Essie Esterhuyze challenged fellow hunters to donate feed to the area that is far away from main routes and therefore was often overlooked for aid.
The donated feed to date was valued at about R1 million, with the next delivery scheduled for 13 April.
Harms said there was a shortage of roughage in the Sutherland area, therefore the Overberg hunters were now making barley pills for livestock.
“There has been some rain since the beginning of the year but new grass growth is immediately eaten by livestock. Rain also led to flash floods, with livestock being washed away. It’s a disaster. But Overberg farmers donate livestock to those in Sutherland who lost animals so they can build up their herds again,” Harms said.
Game in the area was slowly starving, so farmers have started putting out feed for them.
Harms said Fraserburg in the Northern Cape was also in distress, but they could not take on another area as resources were limited.
To donate, call Justus Harms on 082 497 4230 or email [email protected].
