Association urges farmers to protect workers during heatwave

The African Farmers' Association of SA (Afasa) has asked farmers to take precautionary measures in light of the heatwave that has struck the country.

This follows an alert issued by the SA Weather Service, especially in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

“We urge all our farmers to take extra caution in ensuring that farmworkers are not subjected to these extreme weather conditions,” Afasa president Jabulani Mthembu said on Tuesday. He said the farming community was devastated by the deaths of seven farmworkers in Northern Cape last week, allegedly from  heatstroke.

“We therefore encourage farmers to come up with innovative ways of protecting their workers, ensuring that they remain hydrated by always making safe drinking water accessible, changing shifts to minimise exposure to the sun, and, where possible, focusing on under-shelter activities during the day,” Mthembu said.

Afasa said it also received reports of crop damage and an increased mortality rate among chickens due to the heatwave.

“The heatwave is therefore an added burden to an already distressed sector due to load-shedding.”

The government urged South Africans to take extra cautions as the heatwave persists in certain parts of the country.

“We are extremely sad to hear about the passing of people from heat stroke in the Northern Cape after a heatwave hit the province over the week. The government sends its deepest condolences to the bereaved families,” Government Communication and Information System acting director-general Michael Currin said.

TimesLIVE