Bayanda Hlongwane
Mantusini Dairy Projects which is currently investigated by the Democratic Alliance
Picture inside; DA
On 04 August 2024 Democratic Alliance , Shadow MEC for Rural development and Agrarian Heincrich Muler MPL , has released a statement regarding the Mantusini multi-million rand government funded projects.
On Wednesday 31 July 2024 , Democratic Alliance was shocked as they saw the opposite of what was expected regarding the Dairy Farm Projects. During an oversight inspection of the projects Democratic Alliance reported that , they only found vandals which have laid into waist to buildings and destroyed equipment , while the remainder of the cattle have been removed from the farm.
Mantusini Projects near Port St Johns , that was promoted as an women empowerment projects to uplift the hundreds of of poor local households , has been closed. reads the statement. The National Department of Agriculture , Land Reform and Rural Development funded the projects that was in started in 2005 , on 373 hectares of the community land. Since then R43 million has been pumped into the now collapsed projects.
In the statement the DA continue to reveal that the projects was supposed to benefit 500 individual households under communal tenure. The farm was to be sustained by poor planning , and a lack of oversight and support from the government led to disaster. hundreds of cows have died due to lack of feed , the government failed to provide the emerging farmers with technical support , reads the statement.
Community members with Democratic Alliance Shadow MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian conducting an inspection near Port St Johns,
Picture inside; Democratic Alliance
The DA requires the Minister of Agriculture office , John Steenhuisen MP, to request that he investigates on the following
Investigate the project to establish why the Mantusini Dairy farm has been closed.
Investigate why the project failed.
Hold those who are responsible for the failure to account.
Investigate the possibility of implementing another project to assist and uplift the community.
2021 SABC News reported that Rural Development and Agrarian Reform department introduced investors to the Dairy Farm , this after reports of massive loss of livestock at the farm due to hunger , but not much to the management and workers , the investor end up disappeared leaving the cows to die.
Cows which died as a result of the failed R43 million projects , In 2021 Chairperson of the Mantusini Trust said the cows were surviving on the natural grass and are dying of the diseases.
2021 SABC NEWS interview with Mantusini Projects workers and senior manager about the failed projects.
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