Declare Limpopo disaster area, says premier

Limpopo premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba has pleaded with President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare Limpopo a disaster area.

Ramathuba made this plea during the president and Cabinet’s meeting with the Limpopo provincial government’s executive council in Polokwane yesterday.

It comes after a vicious storm wreaked havoc in different parts of the province last weekend, sweeping away churches, house roofs, schools, government buildings, electric poles, bulk water pipes and eroding main roads. Many people were left homeless.

ALSO READ: Hailstorm leaves four dead, more than 40 injured in Limpopo

Limpopo hit with drought as well as storm

Ramathuba pointed out the irony of the storm hitting while the province was suffering a severe drought.

She asked that the storm’s consequences be declared a disaster and that the government “allocate appropriate resources to bring relief to our province”.

Ramathuba also told the president that Limpopo was rich in economic opportunities, particularly in several key sectors.

She said the province’s mineral resources, including platinum, iron ore and coal, supported both precious and base mineral industries, positioning Limpopo as a significant player in the national economy.

In addition to mineral wealth, Ramathuba said Limpopo is an agricultural hub, producing a diverse array of crops such as citrus, vegetables and maize.

“Agriculture is not just a cornerstone of our economy. It is essential for food production, both for our domestic needs and for international markets.

“Hence our belief that assistance from the national government would see us break through our threshold.”

ALSO READ: R100m budgeted to fix Limpopo roads

Premier aims to make Limpopo better

The 51-year-old first female Limpopo premier since democracy in 1994 also reminded the president that though the province saw a surge in job creation in the last quarter of the 2023- 24 financial year, the majority of the province’s 6.6 million population still lived in abject poverty, especially the youth.

She singled out agriculture, mining, tourism and industrialisation as the four pillars of the provincial economy.

These, she said, if well funded, could get rid of poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment.

ANC Limpopo provincial executive committee spokesperson Mathole Jimmy Machaka said he was hopeful the president and his Cabinet would respond positively to the province’s request.