{"id":19571,"date":"2014-10-09T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-10-08T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/echonews.sites.caxton.co.za\/19571\/r2-million-up-in-flames\/"},"modified":"2014-10-09T13:16:56","modified_gmt":"2014-10-09T11:16:56","slug":"r2-million-up-in-flames","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/uncategorized\/2014\/10\/09\/r2-million-up-in-flames\/","title":{"rendered":"Video: R2 million up in flames"},"content":{"rendered":"

The farmer, Mr Gideon Anderson, chairman of the Mpumalanga Agricultural Union, said that he lost a tractor worth R2 million in the fire which started on a neighbouring farm.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter the fire I even gave the dwellers four bales of hay to feed their stock,\u201d Mr Anderson said, adding that he has photographic evidence of the cows being starved to death.<\/p>\n

He adds that he even offered to buy the dwellers their own stands in Rockdale, since the relationship between him and the dwellers he inherited, had always been amicable.<\/p>\n

Mr Anderson dismissed the allegation as \u201cmalicious\u201d and said that the five hectare camp on which the animals graze, is insufficient for grazing.<\/p>\n

Mr Welly Thanjenkwayo, admits that 24 cows of the stock of 30, had died of hunger and thirst.<\/p>\n

Of the six that was left, one burnt to death on Friday, leaving only five.<\/p>\n

In an exchange of texts, Mr Thanjenkwayo told Mr Anderson that he had video evidence of the cow’s painful death.<\/p>\n

\"This<\/a>
This picture, supplied by a Erfdeel farm dweller, shows clearly that only parts of the 5 hectare grasing area burnt due to overgrazing and short grass.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mr Anderson, in reply, flat out accuses the dwellers of mistreating their stock.<\/p>\n

In one text he said that Mr Thanjenkwayo should produce a veterinary report, photographic evidence of the cow’s brand, as well as photographic evidence of the fire breaks made by the dwellers, in order to prove the animal belongs to them.<\/p>\n

Mr Thanjenkwayo admitted to not being able to provide the abovementioned proof.<\/p>\n

Mr Anderson and neighbouring farmers fight raging fires almost daily.<\/p>\n

It is against regulations for farmers to start fires during the prevailing fire season, and Mr Anderson said it would be madness to ignore the strict preventative regulations.<\/p>\n

He explains that every time a fire rages, you not only risk losing your farm but your life, having sustained numerous burns in his attempt to stop the fire which swept Erfdeel on Friday.<\/p>\n

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