FOLLOWING the killing of 15 cattle at Lingelethu Village in Adelaide through suspected poisoning, Eastern Cape Rural Development MEC, Xolile Nqatha, has announced that the department will construct a feedlot in the area to prevent cattle from straying into private properties in search for food.
Nqatha made the announcement during his second visit to Lingelethu, under the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality, where communal farmers claimed that their cattle which died within a short period were poisoned by a local commercial farmer.
This adversely affected the livelihood of the communal farmers of Lingelethu.
In addition to the feedlot, Nqatha also announced that the farmers would get five Bonsmara bulls in order to improve the quality of their herd.
“Farmers will be given five Bonsmara bulls in November to improve the quality of the herd. The fence where the cattle got out will be fixed and other places which needed to be fixed will be mended. When I came here you said you had six dams that needed to be cleansed, we are going to cleanse three of those dams so that your livestock can have somewhere to drink,” Nqatha said.
The MEC said the feedlot would allow communal farmers in the area to fatten their cattle for the markets, adding that the department has invested millions into the construction of feedlots in different districts.
“I have instructed departmental officials to ensure that a feedlot is built in this area.
“You must be able to make money from the cattle you have here. This is to improve the quality of your cattle so that you can make money out of your livestock.
“It is going to be built and finished in the next financial year,” Nqatha said.
He also revealed that the samples taken from the dead cattle had been taken to a lab in Pretoria for further tests.
Chairperson of the Kobonqaba Farmers Association Vuyisile Noganda said, “The MEC’s visit gave the farmers of Lingelethu hope.
“They are grateful for what the department has done for them,” he said.