Agri SA: “Stel Suid-Afrika eerste”

Mediaverklaring – ENGLISH BELOW

14 November 2018

Agri SA: “Stel Suid-Afrika eerste”

Agri SA het sy standpunt dat onteiening sonder vergoeding (OSV) ernstige sosio-ekonomiese impakte sal hê, herbevestig. Die gevaar van OSV is veral pertinent in ag genome dat die Grondwetlike Hersieningskomitee na verwagting hul aanbeveling oor ‘n wysiging aan artikel 25 van die Grondwet vandeesweek sal finaliseer.

“Dit is nodig dat alle politieke partye en hul verteenwoordigers van die ekonomiese gevolge van OSV bewus is,” sê Pierre Vercueil, Agri SA Adjunk-president. “Die impak van so ‘n besluit is so verreikend dat die belang van Suid-Afrika bo die van politiekery gestel moet word.”

Agri SA het sy siening oor die impak van OSV tydens sy Sentrum van Uitnemendheid: Grond vergadering gister verfyn. Die vergadering gee die geleentheid aan Agri SA lede om aan besprekings deel te neem en insette aan die beleidsbeïnvloeding van Agri SA te lewer.

Studies wys dat die gevolge van OSV ‘n kredietafgradering, ‘n dieper resessie, reuse kapitaalvlug en groter werkloosheid veral in landelike gebiede, insluit. Verder sal OSV die volhoubare ontwikkeling van nuwe boere onmoontlik maak, omdat die grond geen waarde sal hê waarteen finansiering bekom sal kan word nie. Dit sal dié boere afhanklik van die regering en belastingbetalers maak.

Agri SA het met kommer van die onlangse vergaderings van die Grondwetlike Hersieningskomitee kennis geneem. Die ANC, EFF en UDM lede van die komitee het dit duidelik gemaak dat hulle ‘n aanbeveling om artikel 25 se eiendomsklousule te wysig deur sal stoomroller. Dit is ten spyte van ernstige voorbehoude oor die gebrek aan prosedurele nakoming tydens die openbare deelname proses. So ‘n reuse besluit kan nie in haas gemaak word nie.

“Enige besluit om veranderings aan die fundamentele reg op eiendom te maak, moet met groot omsigtigheid gedoen word,” sê Vercueil. “Ekonomiese groei is wat Suid-Afrika nou meer as ooit nodig het. Die impak van OSV sal die armstes die hardste tref.”

Agri SA is van mening dat grootskaalse grondhervorming bespoedig kan word in ‘n volhoubare manier sonder om die Grondwet te verander en die ekonomie te skaad.

“Ons sal al ons hulpbronne gebruik om te verseker dat ons sektor en die land nie skade berokken word deur polities-gemotiveerde aanbevelings wat nie in die beste belang van Suid-Afrika is nie.”

Agri SA: “Put South Africa first”

Agri SA confirms its position that expropriation without compensation (EWC) will have dire socio-economic impacts. The danger of EWC is especially pertinent as the constitutional review committee (CRC) is expected to finalise their recommendation on the amendment of section 25 of the Constitution this week.

“It is necessary that all political parties and their representatives are aware of the economic consequences of EWC,” said Pierre Vercueil, Agri SA Deputy President. “The impact of this decision is so far-reaching that the interest of South Africa should outweigh politicking.”

Agri SA refined its view on the impacts of EWC during its Centre of Excellence: Land meeting, yesterday. The meeting was an opportunity for Agri SA members to discuss and give input to the policy advocacy efforts of Agri SA.

Studies showed that the consequences of EWC could include a credit downgrade, a deeper recession, massive disinvestment and worsened unemployment especially in rural areas. Furthermore, EWC will make sustainable development of new farmers impossible, as the land will not have any value on which it is possible to raise production finance, i.e. debt collateral. This will make these farmers dependent on the state forever at the expense of taxpayers.

Agri SA has noted with alarm the recent meetings of the CRC and the clear intention of the ANC, EFF and UDM members of that committee to bulldoze through a recommendation to amend the Section 25 property clause. This is despite serious reservations expressed on the lack of procedural compliance of the public consultation process. Such an enormous decision cannot be made in haste.

“Any decision to meddle with the fundamental right to property, must be done with the greatest circumspection,” said Vercueil. “What South Africa needs now more than anything is economic growth. The impact of EWC will hit the poorest of the poor the hardest.”

Agri SA believes that land reform can be speeded up, done at scale and in a sustainable manner without having to resort to changing the Constitution and impacting on the economy.

“We will put all our resources into ensuring that our sector and the country is not harmed by politically motivated recommendations that are not in the best interests of South Africa.”

 

Enquiries:

 

Pierre Vercueil

Agri SA Deputy President

C: 082 524 8636

Christo van der Rheede

Agri SA Deputy Executive Director

C: 083 380 3492

Annelize Crosby

Agri SA Policy Head: Land

C: 082 388 0017