“Agri SA therefore wholeheartedly supports the economic solutions outlined in the State of the Nation Address to turn the country around and to create a future of hope, social cohesion and prosperity for all” Dan Kriek, President of Agri SA stated.

Significant emphasis was placed on the need to create jobs, advancing transformation and establishing an ethical, caring and service orientated state fraternity at municipal level, provincial and national level. Agri SA also welcomes the announcement to clamp down on corruption in state departments as well as the private sector.

We enthusiastically applaud the practical steps outlined to ensure policy certainty, reduce government departments, grow the local economy, attract investments, boost the manufacturing sector and grow the small business environment, Kriek added.

The establishment of local economic zones, the review of SARS and state-owned enterprises, appointment of the right people as well as implementing a wide range of social and economic interventions in the small business sector, agriculture, mining, tourism and other sectors are also welcomed. Agri SA pledges its co-operation to ensure the achievement of all the outcomes related to these plans.

Prioritising the economy and the role of entrepreneurs was also a key feature of the address. Agri SA, therefore, calls on the President to seize the opportunity and exploit the goodwill on offer from local and international investors. The emphasis on promoting partnerships between business, labour, government and the public is to be welcomed as well as the plans outlined to develop our young people.

However, such a bold vision cannot be tarnished by excluding anyone or a particular community. The plans announced by the President should be inclusive of all the people of South Africa regardless of race, colour, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age or physical constraints.

The National Constitution demands of all of us to build a united and non-racial society and to nurture the talent and honour the contribution of all our people. South Africa remains a highly divided nation and it is through honouring the dignity of every South African, inclusivity and mutual respect that this divide can be bridged.

However, Agri SA is highly concerned with the contradictory statements related to acknowledging agriculture as the biggest contributor the past quarters in terms of economic growth and job creation, whilst in the same breath calling for the expropriation of land without compensation. Not only does it subvert the letter and spirit of Section 25 of our National Constitution, but it also entrenches the perception that the governing party has no regard for the founding principles of our newly founded democracy.

The question also remains: From whom will land be expropriated and to whom will it be given? Such populist statements will do more harm than good and contradicts the underlying theme of the State of the Nation Address to grow the sector through investment to unleash its fullest potential.

Agri SA, therefore, appeals to the President to rather desist from such populist rhetoric and to engage with the commercial agricultural industry to find amicable solutions to the land question.

Agri SA is developing its own land transformation plan that will be commercially driven and will aim to increase national production significantly without having to change the constitution – Omri van Zyl (Executive Director) added.

“Undermining the notion of private ownership and still expecting the private sector to enthusiastically embrace partnerships between themselves and the state will not happen” van Zyl added.

It is through win-win partnerships and policy certainty that the vision of a safe, productive and content South African society can be realised.   

 Issued by Agri SA, Directorate:  Corporate Liaison

Enquiries

Mr Dan Kriek, President Agri SA, 082 944 0566

Mr Omri van Zyl, Executive Director, Agri SA, 082 417 5724

The post Agri SA Media Release: State of Nation Address appeared first on Agri Limpopo.

Day Zero was initially expected to arrive at 22 April but was shortly afterwards revised to 12 April. It was later pushed back to 16 April, then 11 May, 4 June, 9 July and has now been cancelled indefinitely. The City had prepared extensive contingency plans around the mobilisation of resources to supply citizens with 25 litres of potable water per person per day to be collected at certain designated locations throughout the City.

The City’s use of the Day Zero scenario had previously been questioned by various water-sector role players, including the agricultural sector. In many cases farmers have since 12 January 2018 had to make do with almost none of their allocated water because of Nationally-imposed and strictly-enforced water restrictions. This has lead of enormous losses and hardship for the agricultural community, including job losses for seasonal farm labourers.

While it clearly had the effect of focussing ordinary Capetonians’ attention on the severity of the prevailing drought, the use of the Day Zero scenario may also inadvertently have created its own unforeseen water management crisis. Panicked persons (who could afford to do so) began buying and stockpiling both raw and treated water in anticipation of Day Zero realising. This disruption of normal consumption patterns created enormous difficulties for City water planners as well as the Department of Water and Sanitation.

Although the City previously acknowledged that its estimations of its water supply were revised because of agriculture’s reduced consumption, it has failed to acknowledge agriculture’s concerted efforts in this regard or the disastrous effects of the drought on the agricultural sector. According to Agri SA’s Head of Natural Resources, Janse Rabie, the use (and now withdrawal) of the Day Zero scenario creates the impression the City may have cried wolf too soon and that the agricultural sector now has to pay for that action.

“While we are happy that Day Zero now appears to have been averted, people should realise that the current drought is by no means over. It remains a National Disaster which, particularly for the agricultural sector in the Western Cape, becomes worse with each passing day. We implore all spheres of government to maintain their focus on the severity of this drought and to step up the critical drought relief measures for the agricultural sector” said Rabie

While the imminent threat of Day Zero appears to have been averted, the prevailing drought in the Province and the City continues. Both the National Water Restrictions of 12 January 2018 as well as the City’s Level 6b Water Restrictions remain in place and citizens are implored to adhere to the requirement of, amongst other things, limiting their personal water consumption to no more than 50 litres per person per day.

Issued by Agri SA, Directorate:  Corporate Liaison

Enquiries

Mr Janse Rabie, Head of Natural Resources Agri SA, 076 451 9601

The post Agri SA Media Release: Day Zero may be avoided in Cape Town appeared first on Agri Limpopo.