Deputy President Paul Mashatile says government is looking into ways of compensating poultry farmers affected by the recent outbreak of bird flu.
The country has been in the grips of avian influenza for the past few months.
It has affected poultry farmers in all provinces, except for the Northern Cape.
The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) has indicated that losses had already exceeded R1.8 billion.
Avian flu outbreak in SA – Prof Robert Bragg
Mashatile answered questions in the National Council of Provinces on this and other matters.
Thousands of birds have been culled in an attempt to stamp out the disease.
With losses escalating, the Poultry Association has warned that farms are being wiped out.
Mashatile has informed the House that government is looking at how to compensate farmers.
“This scheme is about R3.5 billion. So, those farmers affected by influenza, will get support from this scheme. But of course, details still being discussed by Treasury to ensure exactly what that support will constitute. Among others, recommended that all affected farmers, especially small-scale farmers, will be compensated.”
Social grants
In September, social grant beneficiaries, particularly elderly people, were left stranded when their money was not paid out due to a technical glitch.
Mashatile says government regrets this and that a task-team has been appointed to investigate the matter.
“Additional reinforcement will include experts of banking field of our system and ratification of vulnerabilities of system. The task-team is ensuring work happens and ministers reporting to the President.”
When Mashatile said that he had been assured that all affected beneficiaries have now been paid, DA MP Delmaine Christians alerted him that that was not the case.
“DP you say all transactions have reversed and all people paid, I assure you in my constituency, it’s not so.”
Mashatile was also grilled on cadre deployment.
He insisted that while the ruling party has a cadre development policy, it doesn’t mean party membership is considered above competence.
“All DGs of all departments ask how they got there, they will tell you interviews are tough. We want qualifications and we check it. There is vetting that takes place. Once happy, you passed interview. That’s cadre development. Not just take anyone from the street because they are ANC members, No, it’s never done.”
