Ostrich farmers in the Little Karoo have lost an estimated R1bn and have had to lay off 15% to 20% of their workforce as the crippling drought enters its fourth year. Joey Potgieter, chair of Agri Klein Karoo, said the irrigation supply dams of Stompdrift and Kammanassie were effectively empty and there was no flow in the rivers. And ostrich farmers are not eligible for government drought relief as ostriches are classified as “game” not livestock. A state of crisisCarl Opperman, CEO of Agri Western Cape, said the Gouritz River catchment area, which included the Little Karoo, was in a state of crisis. “In some parts of the Karoo it is a fight for life and death”.

Source: News 24 March 16, 2019 17:26 UTC