The Deputy Minister of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), General Bheki Cele will recognise the significance of the forestry sector in terms of the role it can play in job creation and economic development, particularly in rural areas. The Deputy Minister’s visit is part of the Government Imbizo Focus Week; the Imbizo Focus Week is unmediated information sharing platform and dialogue between government and people.
The department will be hosting their Imbizo Focus Week under the theme: “Speaking to the people about issues that concern them”.
The Deputy Minister will engage the community of Ingquza Hill on issues related to forestry and the department’s drought relief programme. Ingquza Hill Local Municipality has the potential for large- scale forestry development based on water availability, climatic and physical conditions that the area has.
About 1897 ha of plantations are state owned and currently managed by DAFF, the rest are exist on communal land.
The Deputy Minister together with the local Mayor,Jongintaba Mdingi will visit Mvivane forestry project and later plant and handover trees to households in the area. They will also donate lucerne and pellets to drought affected farmers as part of the department’s drought relief programme.
Source: Government of South Africa