News24 reports the death toll has, since the accident yesterday morning, risen to nine. The minister of agriculture, land reform and rural development, Thoko Didiza, has sent her deepest and sincere condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the deceased. She said what saddens her more, is one of the deceased was a young woman who is a mother of two-year-old twins. There were 28 farmers on one of the involved trucks. Didiza says the accident took place at a time at which the role of men and women in the industry is at the centre of producing food. She wishes the injured a speedy recovery.

Agri Western Cape' s CEO, Jannie Strydom, says the loss of lives of people who continued to provide essential services during the national lockdown period is a huge loss and came as a great shock. He says it is tragic that a horrific accident of this nature took place during the containment period when it is assumed that roads are safer than normal.

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Farmers are sceptical about the department of agriculture, land reform and rural development's ability to make a significant contribution with the Covid19-aid of R1.2 billion that has been made available to mostly small scale farmers. Theo de Jager, the chairperson of the board of directors of Saai, says some of its members, who were beneficiaries of land reform, still haven’t received the settling-in allowance enabling them to get their farming activities off the ground. This despite almost monthly visits to the department’s provincial offices. He says these members are mostly small scale farmers who would qualify for assistance, but they are uncertain about the department’s desire and ability to assist them. According to De Jager, this is evident from the many inquiries Saai have received from black farmers about the farmers’ register which the minister mentioned. This register should be made available on the internet for public input since the majority of the farmers aren’t even aware of such a register.

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