MEC for Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural development and Land Reform, Mme Mase Manopole, sends a message of condolences to the families of farmworkers who passed on due to what is suspected to be a heat stroke.
About seven farm workers passed-on (five passed-on yesterday and two this morning) and one farm worker is on a ventilator at the Kakamas Hospital.
The Northern Cape, like other parts of the country is experiencing an extreme hot temperature in most parts of the districts. The South African Weather Services (SAWS) has forewarned of possible heatwaves in four Provinces in the country, including the Northern Cape. This is as temperatures were expected to soar above 40 degrees in some areas while the hot conditions may continue over to the weekend.
The MEC is calling on farm owners and managers to provide adequate water refreshments and short breaks to farmworkers during this harvesting season. “We are aware that most farmers especially in the irrigation belt, are pressed for time to harvest their produce. However, it is important that we allow our people to take some breaks in between, to refresh and hydrate.”
“Farmers are also expected to provide sun screen lotions and protective gears such as hats and lightweight loose clothing to their workers,”
Heat stroke is a condition presenting as fever and often unconsciousness, caused by failure of body’s temperature-regulating mechanism when exposed to excessive high temperatures. Signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion maybe include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, weakness, headache headaches, muscle cramps and aches as well as dizziness.
“As the Department, we send our sincere condolences to the families of the deceased, and wish them strength during this difficult time, hoping that God will strengthen them. We further wish the farmworker admitted at the Kakamas Hospital a speedy recovery. We are assembling a team which is comprising of our department, departments of employment and labour as well as health, to visit farmers which are affected,” said MEC Manopole.
