Latest news with #ThamasanqaNtuli
The South African
3 days ago
- Business
- The South African
Protecting agriculture against climate change: What must be done
The recent two day Climate Change workshop hosted in Durban by the KwaZulu-Natal legislature pledged to take decisive action to tackle the impact of climate change within the agriculture sector. Premier of KwaZulu-Natal Thamasanqa Ntuli urged the newly established Climate Change Council and other stakeholders to be aware of the stark reality of climate change and its impact on various sectors, not only agriculture. He said: 'The evidence presented here has demonstrated that, beyond doubt, that climate change intersects with every sector – from agriculture and water security, to energy, infrastructure, and human settlement patterns.' He suggested the need for innovative solutions to safeguard the province against the negative impact of climate change. These include: Partnerships between stakeholders to address climate change problems. Collaborators are: government, civil society, non-governmental organisations, private sector and traditional institutions. Formulate a people centered approach in city planning aimed at improving the lives of people. Implement measures to safeguard the ecology infrastructure in Durban and surrounds. Put in place early warning systems and empower those in agriculture against risk of flood disaster. From an economic perspective, take advantage of desalination, green hydrogen, brown hydrogen, forestation, waste beneficiation, carbon capture and biofuels, to name a few. Earlier on at the workshop, the Premier reminded stakeholders of a few home truths about the agriculture sector's importance and challenges it faces. 'Agriculture is not simply another eco sector. It is the foundation of food security, a pillar of rural livelihoods and a strategic driver of KZN's strategic growth agenda,' said Ntuli. According to Statistic South Africa figures this quarter the agriculture sector shed 24000 jobs nationally. This points to the largest decline in comparison to any other sector. 'Within primary agriculture there are 930000 jobs currently, well above the long term average of 799000. KZN experienced a contraction in agriculture employment, a trend we must reverse the decisively,' he said. On the production front, KZN saw gains in the agriculture sector, in the first quarter by 15,8 %. Field crops, horticulture, wine and table grapes were the products that flourished. Livestock, on the other hand, came under strain due to diseases like foot and mouth, hampered exports, and eroded market confidence. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news
The South African
6 days ago
- Politics
- The South African
Fast-tracking Cornubia housing for flood victims
The building of 113 houses in Cornubia, Durban, allocated for the victims of the 2022 and 2025 floods, will reach completion over the next four months. Premier Thamasanqa Ntuli made this commitment on behalf of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Provincial Government yesterday (14 August) during a site visit to the Cornubia Housing Development. The Cornubia Housing Development is part of a broader plan by the KZN provincial department to build 1200 houses by 2027 for families who were displaced following the 2022 and 2025 floods in Durban. Presently, displaced families reside in community halls and temporary residential units. 'The construction of these 113 houses within four months is a promise in action. By 2027, we want every flood victim in KwaZulu-Natal to live in a safe, permanent home,' said Ntuli. The province announced the allocation of R149 million for a further 692 houses that form part of this development. 'The 692 houses are scheduled for completion by December 2026, with beneficiaries expected to move in from December 2026 to January 2027,' said Ntuli. The Premier indicated social facilitation programmes would be initiated by the province together with local municipalities to engage with communities resistant to such developments in their midst. Beneficiaries of houses under government housing projects were warned not to resell or rent out their homes to non-beneficiaries. Ntuli said such actions are unlawful and anybody committing such offences will be prosecuted. 'The Department of Human Settlements, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, will take strict legal action against offenders to protect the integrity of the resettlement programme and ensure that the rightful beneficiaries are accommodated,' said Ntuli. The Cornubia Housing Development is regarded as 'the most ambitious' post-disaster recovery initiatives in KwaZulu-Natal's history. The 2022 group of displaced flood victims were reported to have accused the government of not fulfilling their housing promises, in recent years. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news
