Crops will now replace flowers in some township gardens as the KZN government implements a comprehensive agricultural programme designed to stimulate township economy.

On Tuesday 30 April 2024, Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube led the launch of Township Agriculture, an initiative designed to ensure food accessibility and security through innovative techniques.

The programme will be rolled out in major townships where households will be provided with broilers, farming containers and tunnels, seeds, seedlings and expertise.

Accompanied by the MEC for KZN Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Super Zuma, the Premier visited a number of households to assess progress on projects that have started and to provide implements.

Meanwhile, in an effort to prevent unnecessary deaths, the government also embarked on a massive rabies awareness campaign.

Since January 2023, the province has recorded 233 cases of rabies and 7 human deaths.

In total, 17 people have died of rabies with the majority of deaths occurring in eThekwini.

Pet owners brought their animals to be vaccinated and were taught precautionary measures that could save many lives.

Premier Dube-Ncube said Township Agriculture would eliminate hunger while growing the economy.

"We will teach township residents to use innovative ways to grow healthy and nutritious crops to avert high food prices. Apart from alleviating hunger, the programme will also create jobs which will grow the provincial economy," said Premier Dube-Ncube.

MEC Super Zuma encouraged pet owners to vaccinate their pets and to take the responsibility of learning how to treat bite wounds.

He urged residents to work with the Department in ensuring that officials were safe when in townships as they were often becoming victims of crime.

“It is difficult to penetrate most areas because of crime. Continuous hijackings have resulted in loss of personnel and where animals are unvaccinated, human lives are at risk. There is a myth that the rabies vaccine kills, but I can assure you that all the vaccine does is to prevent human deaths.”

MEC Zuma encouraged the youth to be part of township farming communities as the soil was guaranteed to create sustainable wealth.