Agri SA lig die Amerikaanse regering in oor OSV en plaasveiligheid | Agri SA informs US government about EWC and farm safety
English to follow….
18 Maart 2019
Agri SA lig die Amerikaanse regering in oor OSV en plaasveiligheid
Agri SA het spesifieke oplossings vir Suid Afrikaanse landbou en sal aanhou om met ‘n verskeidenheid internasionale rolspelers te konsulteer ten einde boere se belange te bevorder. Agri SA is Vrydag 14 Maart 2019 genooi vir ‘n hoëvlak gesprek met John J. Sullivan, Adjunk-Sekretaris van Buitelandse Sake van die VSA. Die gesprek is deur die VSA aangevra en die ANC was deel van die gesprek.
“Agri SA het sy navorsing en kommentaar op die Onteiening-wetgewing openlik en eerlik bespreek,” het Omri van Zyl, Uitvoerende Direkteur van Agri SA gesê. “Sulke geleenthede is ‘n baie kragtige manier om beleid te beïnvloed, hoewel dit nie altyd raakgesien word nie. Ons is dankbaar teenoor die Amerikaanse regering, en die diplomatieke gemeenskap, dat hulle landbou en ons boodskap ter harte neem. Ons is ‘n deursigtige organisasie – die ANC was deel van die gesprek en ons boodskap bly konsekwent.”
Die volgende punte is breedweg bespreek:
Onteiening sonder vergoeding
- Die bedoeling en gevolg van onteiening sonder vergoeding (OSV) en die VSA het spesifiek getoets of die rolspelers werklik die moontlike gevolge besef
- Die investering-onsekerheid wat geskep word wat landbou-uitbreiding rem
- Die moontlike effek op voedselsekuriteit, die effek op voedselpryse sou dit skeefloop, maar ook die feit dat die eindpunt ‘n geopolitieke katastrofe vir Suider Afrika sal wees
- Die gesprekke wat Agri SA met die regering en die ANC gehad het hier rondom
- Die bevestiging uit die wye parlementêre konsultasie-proses dat daar ‘n veel groter behoefte vir stedelike behuising as landbougrond bestaan
Grondhervorming
- Agri SA gekant teen OSV of enige intervensie wat die privaatsektor kan benadeel
- Agri SA het bevestig dat grondhervorming moet plaasvind, maar dat dit op ‘n ordelike manier moet geskied
- Die belangrikheid van titelaktes en gebruiksekerheid is duidelik oorgedra
- Agri SA het ook klem gelê op die goeie werk wat al gedoen is, dat daar alreeds baie transformasie plaasgevind het, maar dat ons meer befondsing benodig en ‘n beroep op die VSA gedoen het om ons Landbou Ontwikkelingsfonds te ondersteun.
Plaasveiligheid
- Die behoefte op akkurate en tydige inligting oor plaasveiligheid en misdaad is bespreek
- Agri SA het die afvaardiging ingelig oor die effek wat plaasmoorde en misdaad op produsente en plaaswerkers het, wit en swart. Ook die onsekerheid wat die boere op grondvlak beleef rondom hul toekoms in SA
- Agri SA het hulle ingelig oor die groot hoeveelheid plaasmoorde en dat dit groter is per capita as baie ander groeperings
Amerikaanse bystand
- Agri SA het ‘n beroep gedoen op Amerikaanse maatskappye om in Suid Afrika te belê, nie net deur tegnologie en ander dienste te verskaf nie, maar om hulself hier te vestig om sodoende te investeer, die ekonomie te help groei en werksgeleenthede te skep
- Die rol wat internasionale Amerikaanse maatskappye al dekades lank speel en steeds bydrae, is oorgedra
“Die vergadering was op ‘n baie goeie noot van samewerking, ondersteuning en gesprekvoering gebaseer en ons glo dit sal ook voortgaan tussen ons en die ANC,” het Jaco Minnaar, Voorsitter van Graan SA en Direksielid van Agri SA, gesê. “Ons is ook bedank vir die hoë vlak van inligting en beredenering wat tydens die vergadering geheers het.”
Navrae
Dan Kriek
Agri SA President
(S) 082 944 0566
Omri van Zyl
Agri SA Uitvoerende Direkteur
(S) 082 417 5724
Jaco Minnaar
Voorsitter van Graan SA en Direksielid van Agri SA
(S) 083 626 7000
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18 March 2019
Agri SA informs US government about EWC and farm safety
Agri SA has specific solutions for South African agriculture and will continue to consult with various international role players in order to promote the interests of farmers. Agri SA was invited on Friday, 14 March 2019, for a high-level discussion with John J. Sullivan, the US Deputy Foreign Secretary. The meeting had been requested by the USA, and the ANC formed part of the discussions.
“Agri SA discussed its research and commentary on the expropriation legislation openly and honestly,” said Omri van Zyl, Executive Director of Agri SA. “These opportunities serve as a very powerful way of influencing policy, although this is not always recognised. We are grateful to the US government and diplomatic community for taking agriculture and our message seriously. We are a transparent organisation – the ANC formed part of the discussions and our message remains consistent.”
The following points were discussed in broad terms:
Expropriation without compensation
- The purpose and outcome of expropriation without compensation (EWC). The USA specifically tested whether the role players were aware of the possible implications
- The investment uncertainty created, which hampers agricultural expansion
- The possible impact on food security; the effect on food prices should things go wrong, but also the fact that the end result would be a geopolitical catastrophe for Southern Africa
- The discussions that Agri SA conducted in this regard with the government and ANC
- The confirmation emerging from the wide parliamentary consultation process that there was a far greater need for urban housing than for agricultural land
Land reform
- Agri SA confirmed that land reform was necessary but said that it should take place in an orderly manner
- EWC addresses only a small part of land reform. Problems relating to sustainable land reform are more serious and should receive far greater attention
- The importance of title deeds and certainty of usage was strongly emphasised
- Agri SA also referred to the good work that had already been done. A great deal of transformation has already taken place, but we need more funding. The USA was urged to support our Agriculture Development Fund
Farm safety
- Crime and the need for accurate and timely information on farm safety were discussed
- Agri SA informed the delegation about the effect that farm murders and crime have on producers and farm workers, both white and black, as well as the uncertainty that farmers at grassroots level experience around their future in South Africa
- Agri SA informed them about the large number of farm murders and the fact that the number was higher per capita than for many other groupings
American assistance
- Agri SA called on US companies to invest in South Africa, not only by supplying technology and other services, but also by establishing themselves here and investing in such a way that it will help our economy to grow and create job opportunities
- Mention was made of the role that international US companies have played for decades and continue to play in South Africa
“The meeting was based on a sound note of cooperation, support and discussion and we believe this will continue between ourselves and the ANC,” said Jaco Minnaar, chair of Grain SA and member of the Agri SA Board. “We were also thanked for the high level of information and debate during the meeting.”
Enquiries
Dan Kriek
Agri SA President
(S) 082 944 0566
Omri van Zyl
Agri SA Executive Director
(S) 082 417 5724
Jaco Minnaar
Chair of Grain SA and member of the Agri SA Board
(S) 083 626 7000