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Farmers got potatoes and lucerne donations for their livestock amid the drought.
Humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers stepped in to support drought-stricken farmers in Die Vlaktes near Mossel Bay, in the Western Cape.
The area has been battling persistent drought conditions for nearly a decade, leaving farmers, workers and their families under severe strain.
For farmers in Die Vlaktes, the drought has taken a heavy toll since 2015. They have lost thousands of animals, with little relief in sight.
[ON AIR] Humanitarian organisation @GiftoftheGivers has launched an urgent emergency response to a worsening water crisis across the Garden Route in the Western Cape, warning that the shortages threaten livelihoods, businesses and the regional economy at the height of the festive… pic.twitter.com/77oYQSoAvg
— SAfmRadio 📻 (@SAfmRadio) December 16, 2025
This week, a lifeline arrived, a truck carrying animal feed and food parcels, including 35 tonnes of potato tubers and lucerne. It was donated by a fellow farmer in the Free State, and coordinated by the Gift of the Givers.
Local farmer Ernst van Rensburg says this past year has been one of the hardest yet.
“This last year is one of the driest years on record. With the losses and everything its bad. It’s very dry here. No rain this winter to speak of and we are a winter rainfall area. So, not much hope of summer rains coming. I’ve lost a lot of animals and I don’t have words for it. It’s so difficult to say. I’ve been making plans for the past year just to keep my animals alive and this is really a godsend,” says van Rensburg.
In times like these, farmers say solidarity is crucial. That sentiment is echoed by Free State farmer, Stanley de Beer, who donated the seed potatoes and lucerne after seeing the devastation firsthand.
“It’s actually heartbreaking to see. It is seed potatoes that were to be marketed and we didn’t market all of it. I thought it was a good idea to give to the sheep farmers. They’ve treated us well. So, it’s just fair to help other people that are in trouble,” says de Beer.
Aid for drought-hit Die Vlaktes farmers by Gift of the Givers:
Gift of the Givers’ Ali Sablay says the intervention will provide farmers with at least a month’s worth of animal feed, offering temporary financial relief and some breathing room.
“Gift of the Givers has intervened, today and donated lucerne bales and a super link of potatoes to last the farmers for a month in terms of providing feed for the animals and just to give them some financial ease over the period. You can see the great celebrations here. They came out here with their families and kids,” says Sablay.
Farmworkers and their families, many of whom rely entirely on farm income, have also been affected.
With food parcels now delivered, there is renewed hope this festive season. Farmworker Shanwille Heunis says the support made a meaningful difference.
As the broader Garden Route and Little Karoo region continues to face a growing water crisis, municipalities have tightened water restrictions in towns including Knysna, George, Plettenberg Bay and Oudtshoorn.
With the festive season bringing an influx of visitors, authorities urge both residents and holidaymakers to use water sparingly, as communities brace for what lies ahead.
VIDEO | Water crisis | Gift of the Givers intervenes in Garden Route water crisis
