‘Farm transformation neglected’
Farmers’ association says Department of Rural Development shirked its responsibility
THE Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has remained tight-lipped about allegations that it has neglected transformation in the province.
In a scathing statement issued recently, the African Farmers Association of SA (Afasa) in the Western Cape called out the suspension of the chief director for Rural Development, Juanita Fortuin, saying she should not be made the scapegoat for neglect and “shady dealings”.
“This should be a wake-up call for minister Thoko Didiza and the government to look deeper into the dealings of the department in the province,” Afasa-WC said.
They went on to allege, among other things, that the department had shirked its responsibility in assisting thousands of farmworkers within equity schemes; the case of the SolmsDelta and the investment by the government into a marginal business had been swept under the carpet by the government, as Solms-Delta is now under business rescue; the demise of the district land committees and other structures was an “indication that all controls have been lost”; and the Hoogland Farm in De Doorns was now under business rescue as there were allegations that the business rescue practitioner was not properly appointed.
In 2018 the department said it would take ownership of the SolmsDelta Wine Estate in Franschhoek to help secure the jobs of workers who recently acquired 45% of the business and land.
This was through the National Empowerment Fund and framework on Strengthening the Relative Rights of People Working the Land, commonly known as the 50/50 policy.
The 50/50 policy assists mainly farmworkers and farm dwellers to secure permanent tenure on the properties where they work or live as well as acquire economic interests in agricultural land and businesses in which they work.
However, despite intervention by the department, including financial support for the business, the project continued to operate at a loss.
“These are some of the allegations that the minister and her department need to answer to.
“It is unfortunate that the Western Cape does not get serious attention from the minister and her department.
“Afasa-WC believes that national government has over the years neglected its transformation mandate in the Western Cape and more sadly neglected the black farmers and potential black agriprenuers in the province,” Afasa-WC spokesperson Ismail Motala said.
The department’s spokesperson Reggie Ngcobo, when pushed several times for comment on the allegations, said: “As the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, we wish not to comment on Afasa’s statement and the matter of Ms Juanita Fortuin is an internal matter between the employer and the employee.”