The KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa, had met with the Traditional leaders, Mayors and Councillors of uMkhanyakude District in efforts to hear the burning issues that the farming sector face on a daily basis. The engagement took place on Thursday, 05 September 2024. Councillors and local communities of Makhasa in Hluhluwe under Big 5 Hlabisa Municipality, bemoaned the lack and non-functional dip tanks infrastructure, expensive vaccines for the cattle and the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease as impediment that continue to hold back their growth in the sector. Having brought in experts from Veterinary Services to Agribusiness Development Agency, MEC KaMadlopha-Mthethwa took stock of the concerns raised by locals and councillors and instructed the Department to bring solutions to many bottlenecks affecting the growth of the local farmers.