"When the goats arrived last year, there were about 175 of them, but I think we only have about 75 now," said Qondile Bill from the Makana Goat Farmers’ Co-operative, in reference to the beleaguered Makana Goat Project.
"When the goats arrived last year, there were about 175 of them, but I think we only have about 75 now," said Qondile Bill from the Makana Goat Farmers’ Co-operative, in reference to the beleaguered Makana Goat Project.
Bill was speaking at the Economic Development, Tourism and Heritage committee meeting, where he submitted feedback about the project. He said they are in the process of moving the goats from Gletwyn Farm to Inneskilling Farm.
"When we ask for reports from [Goat Project Manager], Mr [Simthembile] Mamani, he becomes aggressive. There is a structure that was built when the goats arrived and he refused when we wanted to take that to Inneskilling Farm," said Bill.
He said they have made a plan to set up a new enclosure for the goats. They are also struggling with water as thay have to cart water from Grahamstown to the farm.
The Project Monitoring Committee for the Makana Goat Farmers’ Co-operative wrote to the Thina Sinako Provincial Local Economic Development (LED) Support Programme in August to express their concerns about the viability of the project, its attempts to salvage the project and a recommendation that no further expenditure takes place against the project bank account.
Thina Sinako responded to the letter that Mamani be removed as the co-signatory of the project's bank account and be replaced by the LED Director, Riana Meiring and that no further expenditure should take place except for feed and medicine up to a maximum amount of R60 000.
This amount should be sufficient to maintain the health of the goat herd until the end of November. It was also requested that a progress report including a narrative report, expenditure list and budget be prepared with the assistance of a short-term expert provided through the Thina Sinako Programme.
Meiring said they plan for a Thina Sinako representative and a farmer to visit the project to see what can be done with the remaining 75 goats.
Councillor Les Reynolds asked why goat numbers were decreasing and questioned the point of the project. Bill replied that the goats were terminally ill, to which Municipal Manager Ntombi Baart responded that the Department of Agriculture should be approached to assign an veterinary specialist.
Meiring said: "I really truly do not know what else must be done. So much has been done to provide assistance to the goat project." Bill said there is an improvement in the health of the goats after they are given their medication and are dipped on a regular basis.
Meiring also mentioned that Thina Sinako clearly said that they will let the project run its course – it is due to end at the end of November. Baart suggested that a risk assessment report be conducted as a way forward.
