Nkandla to become an Agricultural area
The celebration was held at the One-stop Mamba Development Centre, at Nkandla under King Cetshwayo District Municipality
MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Themba Mthembu joined hundreds of Nkandla residents to celebrate World Food Day and International Rural Women’s Day.
The celebration was held at the One-stop Mamba Development Centre, at Nkandla under King Cetshwayo District Municipality on Thursday.
About 250 community members together with the department’s HOD, JM Mfusi, King Cetshwayo District deputy mayor Alice Mthembu and local Chief Bhekumuzi Zuma were serve with a hot delicious kitchen soup and bread by Shoprite Soup Kitchen before the start of the event.
Mthembu also visited Qedisomo Co-operative situated in Ward 14 in the same area where he encouraged and aired his happiness over the good work done by members of this co-op.
The Secretary of Qedisimo Co–operative, Fezile Nala told Mthembu t they started their co-op in 2010 and they sell their products to one of the local supermarket chain stores.
‘I just came to check how are doing; we like what you are doing, keep it up,’ he said before going back to the Mamba Centre.
Mthembu told community members there the government is planning to turn Nkandla into an agricultural town because there is plenty of land and water in the area.
‘It is not true that there is no water, the problem is that the water is not coming to you. We have lot of water going into the sea and also lot of water underground.
‘We need to come up with a plan to capture and use all that water to use it for our own benefit,’he said.
Mthembu told the residents and potential farmers that even though they have not finalised the establishment of agricultural town but said all government departments have to convene to discus the way forward.
‘After reaching an agreement with all government departments we will than come to you so that you can make your own input,’ he said.
He also talked about the newly introduced Operation Vula and Radical Agrarian Socio-Economic
Transformation programs which are aimed at helpingis aim of helping the black farmers and Co-operatives .
‘This program is run by the district, which buys agricultural products from the local farmers and distributes them to school.
‘We know there have been some challenges but we are working to overcome them soon.’
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
For news straight to your phone invite us:
WhatsApp – 072 069 4169
Instagram – zululand_observer
