KZN Legislature calls for urgent compensation for flood-affected farmers

Members of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature called on the national government to expedite the payment of R65 million in compensation to farmers affected by flood damage. 

On Thursday, Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa, the KZN MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, stated that farmers, especially those in rural areas, have suffered losses due to natural disasters in the current financial year. 

She said that despite these significant losses, affected farmers have not yet been compensated by the government, placing their livelihood and the agricultural sector at risk. 

KaMadlopha-Mthethwa suggests that the government establish a ring-fenced disaster relief fund to address future crises. 

Sakhile Mngadi, Democratic Alliance KZN spokesperson on Agriculture and Rural Development, said that farmers are under siege from forces beyond their control. He said that crops have been lost, livestock wiped out, and, with them, the livelihoods of thousands of families who depend on agriculture for survival.

“They continue to wait while debts mount, workers are retrenched, and communities slip deeper into poverty. This is not only a farming problem, it is also a provincial crisis. Farmers who feed the nation should not be abandoned when nature takes away their ability to do so,” he said.

Mngadi said the DA supported the establishment of a fund that is ring-fenced, transparent, and insulated from political influence. 

This fund would:

• Compensate verified disaster losses quickly and fairly, with an explicit target of paying out 80% of claims within 30 days
• Invest in resilience, including drought-resistant seed, water infrastructure, livestock health, and cold-chain systems;
• Publish every transaction online so that farmers and citizens can see who is paid, when and what the payment is for

The DA proposes:

• A fixed allocation from state investment dividends and lease revenues on provincial agricultural assets. If the government invests on behalf of its people, then a portion of those returns must be reinvested to protect the very people who create our food security
• Parametric insurance and reinsurance layers to cover extreme events, with payouts triggered automatically by weather indices
• Public-private partnerships structured properly: government funds the public goods - disaster payouts, extension, biosecurity, while private partners co-fund productive assets, matched rand-for-rand, with full independent oversight.

Ncamsile Nkwanyana, IFP MPL, said that despite several natural disasters over the years, there is still no ring-fenced funding. She added that every time a disaster strikes, departments scramble for money. 

"Farmers cannot wait for bureaucracy to run its course. Many of our people are encouraged to enter agricultural entrepreneurship initiatives, but what message are we sending to them? We should be making agriculture attractive and sustainable,” she said.  

Mongezi Twala, EFF MPL, suggested a review of the disaster management system, such as legislative reform and capacity building, system and data information system. 

“A strategy must include proper planning and coordination structures,” he said. 

Zamangcobo Ngcobo, MKP MPL, said that the losses were not just a financial statement but a reflection of life being disrupted. She called for payment for those without insurance safety nets. 

Cynthia Shinga, NFP MPL, said that agriculture is the backbone of food security. She said farmer support must provide a subsidy for small-scale farmers. 

“We should invest in digital systems to link farmers with buyers. We must support farmers with insurance schemes and climate adaptation training to withstand floods,” she said.

Mafika Mndebele, ANC MPL, said that farmers must be equipped and prepared to prevent disasters. He called for climate-smart agriculture. 

Luntu Maxegwana, MKP MPL, said the motion should have never been put to the legislature brought about by the same government that has the power to act. 

“We are asked to support a call for more meetings and planning and delays. The government is requesting to have a meeting with itself. Motions like this are an insult to the people of KZN. We cannot wait for bureaucratic processes. We should have an inquiry to find out why farmers have not been compensated and solve that problem first,” he said. 

zainul.dawood@inl.co.za