Cane farmers seek lifeline from govt amid Tongaat Hulett business rescue
South African cane farmers are asking government for help as Tongaat Hulett's voluntary business rescue process gets underway.
Growers met with the business rescue practitioners on Wednesday after they missed the payment deadline for sugarcane that growers delivered in September.
The SA Canegrowers Association says following yesterday's meeting, the practitioners seem to understand the urgency of paying growers and the importance of restoring the operations of Tongaat Hulett's mills.
It says nearly 15 000 jobs are on the line due to non-payment.
READ: Two Tongaat Hulett operations enter business rescue
Chairperson, Andrew Russell, says they don't believe the industry can withstand the current danger it faces without financial assistance from the government.
"The meeting also highlighted the magnitude of the task ahead, which is why we believe it is essential that government intervenes to ensure that we can protect the livelihoods of growers, workers and the communities that rely on the sugar industry.
"To progress this, SA Canegrowers has written to the President, as well as ministers [Ebrahim] Patel and [Thoko] Didiza to request urgent meetings. We are optimistic that if we all work together, we can ensure that the cane growing industry in the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal survives this difficult period."
