If you discover an outbreak of Fall Armyworm ( Spodoptera frugiperda) in your mielies ~ or other crops ~ the Gauteng Dept of Agriculture & Rural Development ( Gdard ) appeals to you to report the details to your nearest regional departmental office . The invasive pest has been identified in Bronkhorstspruit , Pretoria , as well as in east and
From page 8
of : ' The Programme to support Pro-Poor Policy Development , a partnership between The Presidency and the European Union .) I ' ll draw on a single excerpt from the research document under the subtitle “ SA in International Context ”. ' It is tempting to blame poverty for our weak educational performance ! But
Sir ~ I wish to congratulate you on your constant reference to the importance of eradicating alien vegetation . I read recently that Dr Guy
the evidence seems to suggest otherwise ... In tests conducted in 15 Sub-Sahara African countries by SACMEQ , SA ranks 10 out of 15 for Grade 6 reading and arithmetic .' Please kindly ( sic ) read on once you ' ve googled the reference “ SA Education - the poorest choice ”! Maybe , just maybe , you will
Preston , who among other things is responsible for the Working on Fire programme , stated that the fires in Somerset West were made much worse because
MAILBAG : COMMENT
come to other insights ! With tears in my eyes for all you sickly old men , who still live under the Queen ' s throne of privilege ! Michael Waldeck By email Good heavens ! What vitriol ! How badly can one misunderstand a piece of writing ! Words fail me . ~ Editor
NEWS
Report armyworm outbreaks to dept , please
west Gauteng . Smallholders are urged to be vigilant to ensure early detection and enable timeous assistance . Apparently an
infestation can be contained with timely intervention . The migratory worms are native to the United States , South and Central America and are new to South Africa , having moved south from other maize-growing counties such as Zambia and
Continued on page 10
Mailbag : Importance of eradicating aliens
homeowners had not managed invasive alien plants on their properties . He reminded everyone that alien plants , such as pines , wattles and gums can burn with an intensity of ten times more than the indigenous plants they displace . I remember years ago the Smallholder ran a series of articles about which trees you should plant in place of the alien that you have taken out . Very useful . Thanks for the responsible writing that you do . Margaret D Muldersdrift
9 www . sasmallholder . co . za