Agri SA
Mediaverklaring / Press Release
Agri SA, Posbus/ PO Box 1508 Pretoria 0001, Tel +27+12 300 9500 , Faks/ Fax +27+12 320 0557 22 Augustus 2007
Grond vir plaaswerkers
Die voorgestelde program om tot 5 miljoen hektaar grond vir plaaswerkers te bekom ten einde hulle verblyfsekerheid te bevorder, is ‘n nuwe verwikkeling wat opklaring verg. Die adjunk direkteur-generaal van die Departement van Grondsake, Mduduzi Shabane, het gister in Kaapstad voor ‘n parlementêre komitee aangekondig dat hierdie program ‘n presidensiële prioriteit is en dat daar reeds met Tesourie gepraat is oor die befondsing daarvan. ‘n Aanvangsbedrag is reeds beskikbaar om met die program in vyf provinsies te begin. Die debat oor verblyfsekerheid van plaaswerkers en die beleidsmaatreëls waarmee dit bevorder word, onder andere die nie-bedoelde implikasies van wetgewing soos die Uitbreiding van Verblyfsekerheid- en die Huurarbeiderswet, dui op verskille oor hoe die aangeleentheid benader moet word. Die uitermatige verpolitisering van die wettige uitsettings van plaaswerkers, het waarskynlik bygedra dat daar nou prioriteit verleen word aan die akkommodering van plaaswerkers in die grondhervormingsproses. Dit is Agri SA se standpunt dat plaaswerkers voorkeur behandeling moet kry, omdat hulle kennis van landbou kan bydra tot die sukseskoers met Swart Ekonomiese Bemagtiging in die landbou.
Wat Agri SA betref is daar steeds ‘n gebrek aan ‘n weldeurdagte beleidsraamwerk waarmee die behuisingsbehoeftes van landelike gemeenskappe aangespreek kan word. ‘n Bevredigende balans moet met so ‘n raamwerk getref word tussen die instandhouding van die produksievermoë van die landbou, geleenthede vir deelname in die eerste ekonomie, die bydrae van behuising en verbandhoudende infrastruktuur tot die maatskaplike opheffing asook die stabiliteit en veiligheid van landbouers en plaasgemeenskappe. Die ontwikkeling van so ‘n beleidsraamwerk behoort voorrang te kry bo ad hoc-programme wat die potensiaal inhou om ongeag die goeie bedoeling daarmee, afbreuk te doen aan bovermelde uitgangspunte. Teen die agtergrond ag Agri SA dit van dringende belang dat die regering oor hulle breër benadering tot verblyfsekerheid van landelike bewoners maar ook ten opsigte van die spesifieke program, met die georganiseerde landbou moet raadpleeg ten einde nadelige of ontwrigtende gevolge te voorkom. Vanweë die makro-ekonomiese omstandighede waarbinne die kommersiële landbou die afgelope 10 jaar funksioneer soos globalisering, handelsliberalisering, die deregulering van landbou-bemarking en drasties afgeskaalde ondersteuning, was daar omvattende struktuurveranderings wat tot die uitwinning van ‘n groot persentasie kommersiële boere en ‘n verbandhoudende verlies aan werksgeleenthede gelei het. Die demografiese gevolge van die ekonomies-gedrewe struktuurveranderinge in die landbou sal opsigself nie volhoubaar deur middel van grondhervormingsinisiatiewe gestuit kan word nie. Alternatiewe oplossings is nodig vir diegene en hulle afhanklikes wat nie meer ‘n ekonomies-aktiewe betrokkenheid in die kommersiële landbou het nie. Agri SA wil daarop wys dat die tersaaklike program nie mag lei tot die versnippering van boerdery-eenhede tot die vlak van onvolhoubaarheid en die vestiging van werklose gemeenskappe in plaasomgewings met gepaardgaande probleme nie. Dit is moontlik dat hierdie aangeleenthede reeds deur die owerheid onder oorweging geneem is en dat gerusstelling daaroor gegee kan word. Die voorgestelde area-gebaseerde grondhervormingsmodel, waarvolgens plaaswerkers en bewoners as begunstigdes grond vir lewensvatbare boerdery-doeleindes verkry, kan bydra tot ‘n meer gebalanseerde deelname aan die landbou. Daar moet egter begrip wees dat boere en grondeienaars in landelike gebiede nog onbeantwoorde vrae in die verband het. Agri SA sal derhalwe dit as ‘n saak van dringendheid met die Departement van Grondsake opneem.
Uitgereik deur Direktoraat: Korporatiewe Skakeling Navrae: Lourie Bosman, Agri SA President, 082 388 3000 Annelize Crosby, Agri SA Parlementêre verteenwoordiger, Adviseur: Regs- & Grondsake, 082 388 0017
LAND FOR FARM WORKERS
The proposed programme to acquire up to 5 million hectare of land to ensure security of tenure for farm workers is a new development that requires clarification. The Deputy Director-General of the Department of Land Affairs, Mduduzi Shabane, announced yesterday in Cape Town before a parliamentary committee that this programme would be a presidential priority and that discussions had already taken place with the Treasury regarding the funding thereof. An initial amount has already been earmarked to commence with the programme in five provinces. The debate around security of tenure for farm workers and the policy measures whereby this can be achieved, including the unintended consequences of legislation such as the Extension of Security of Tenure Act and the Labour Tenants Act, is indicative of the differences of opinion as to how the matter should be approached. The extreme politicisation of the legal eviction of farm workers has probably contributed towards the fact that the accommodation of farm workers within the land reform process is now being prioritised. Agri SA is of the opinion that farm workers should be given preference because their knowledge of agriculture could contribute towards the success rate of Black Economic Empowerment in agriculture.
As far as Agri SA is concerned, a well-considered policy framework to address the housing needs of rural communities is still not in place. A satisfactory balance must be found between maintaining the production capacity of agriculture, opportunities for participation in the first economy, the contribution of housing and related infrastructure to the social upliftment, and the stability and safety of farmers and farming communities. The development of such a policy framework should enjoy priority over ad hoc programmes that, despite good intentions, have the potential of detracting from the above-mentioned points of departure. Against this background, Agri SA believes that the government should urgently consult with organised agriculture regarding their broader approach to security of tenure of rural dwellers, but also this specific programme, in order to avoid any adverse or disruptive consequences. Given the macroeconomic circumstances within which commercial agriculture has functioned for the past 10 years, such as globalisation, trade liberalisation, the deregulation of agricultural marketing and drastically down-scaled support for agriculture, there have been profound structural changes which resulted in a large percentage of commercial farmers having to leave the industry and consequently a loss of jobs. The demographic implications of economically driven structural changes within the industry as such cannot be addressed in a sustainable manner through land reform initiatives alone. Alternative solutions are needed for those persons and their dependants who no longer have an active involvement in commercial agriculture. Agri SA wishes to point out that the relevant programme should not give rise to the fragmentation of farming units to a level of unsustainability and the settlement of unemployed communities in farming environments, with the accompanying problems. It is possible that this aspect is already under consideration by the authorities and that they could provide reassurance in this regard. The proposed area-based land reform model, according to which farm workers and farm dwellers would be land reform beneficiaries on viable farming units, could contribute to more balanced participation in agriculture. However, there must be understanding for the fact that farmers and landowners in rural areas have many unanswered questions in this regard. Agri SA will therefore, as a matter of urgency, raise the matter with the Department of Land Affairs.
Issued by the Directorate: Corporate Liaison Enquiries: Lourie Bosman, Agri SA President, 083 388 3000Annelize Crosby, Agri SA’s Parliamentary representative, Adviser: Legal & Land Affairs, 082 388 0017
