MANTUSINI DAIRY RESCUED
Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Mcebisi Skhwatsha was accompanied by Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) MEC Nomakhosazana Meth during the visit to Mantusini Dairy in Port St Johns.
“We have been here from time to time , saw the situation and we intervened by bringing feed and an investor.
“The DM has also been aware of your situation and he is here to see for himself and follow up on government’s investment here,” Meth said.
The project was initiated in 2005 and government has made investments through the departments of DRDAR, which spent R9 million and Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development spent R34 million.
Despite the endeavours by government, the situation became so bad at the dairy resulting in loss of livestock due to mismanagement
MEC Meth also introduced , the investment company Cream Top to DM Skhwatsha . The company has vowed to turn around the dire situation,
Cream Top’s representative Sihle Ntuli promised the community made of 450 beneficiaries: “we are here to turn around this situation.”
Local Chief Mthetheleli Nompandla, urged the people to be “united and work with government in changing your lives. We are happy and hopeful now that they have brought us investors,” said Chief Nompandla
After a walk about in the dairy , DM Skhwatsha expressed his disappointment.
” This is a very unfortunate situation with government investing so much money and the project collapse
” We are convinced and confident that we will save this dairy ,” the DM said
Responding to allegations of mismanagement of funds, the DM said: “anyone who steals from government drastic actions will be taken.
“It is important to ensure government funds are used for the intended purpose, that is to develop the people.”