‘Beneficiary conflicts at the root of problems in agri projects’

The bulk of the challenges being experienced at two agriculture projects in the Free State appeared to be largely due to issues with group dynamics.

This was according to the spokesperson for the Free State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (Free State DARD), Zimasa Leputla, in response to allegations made by the DA in the province.

Member of the provincial legislature and leader of the official opposition in the province, Dr Roy Jankielsohn, said he had conducted oversight visits to two provincial projects, the Diyatalawa and Wilhelmina agri villages.

“In September, my oversight visit to Diyatalawa exposed a derelict dairy, apple orchards in ruins, and little other activity from the 50 beneficiaries. My oversight [visit to] Wilhelmina exposed mixed results,” he said in a statement.

Jankielsohn said government had invested about R150 million in establishing the Diyatalawa agri village project, situated on just over 2 000ha of agricultural land between Kestell and Harrismith in the Maluti-aPhofung Local Municipality.

“The project was meant to include a functional dairy, an apple orchard, beef cattle breeding and crop cultivation,” he said.

The 343ha Wilhelmina farm, which Jankielsohn visited at the beginning of November, was purchased by the former national Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) in 2009 for R5,6 million.

“Since 2009, an additional R26,61 million has been invested in the project by national government and another R16,19 million by the provincial government. This brings the total cost of the project to R48,40 million,” he said.

Jankielsohn said between 2010 and 2018 this project generated an income of less than R2,5 million.

Commenting on the allegations, Leputla said the provincial department had not been involved in establishing the dairy at Diyatalawa, which was funded by the then national DRDLR. The Free State DARD had funded the apple orchards, but these were damaged by veld fires, and after rehabilitation were not well managed by beneficiaries.

She said the project had not received any further funding from the Free State DARD for the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 financial years.

“This comes after the beneficiaries of the project made a written submission to the department requesting that funding and/or any other form of assistance be temporarily put on hold until they address their group dynamics and conflict.”

She said the Wilhelmina project was functional, but operations were also being affected by group dynamics. – Sabrina Dean

complex Group dynamics are affecting operations