fbpx

Kwanalu

Staatsrede 2019 / SONA 2019

English to follow..

5 Februarie 2019

Staatsrede 2019

Landbou verdien die gesamentlike ondersteuning van regering

Agri SA sien uit na President Cyril Ramaphosa se tweede Staatsrede wat vandeesweek gelewer sal word. Die boodskap van Agri SA is eenvoudig: landbou benodig die gesamentlike ondersteuning van al die regeringsdepartemente. Landbou is die bes geplaasde sektor vir die regering om sy energie op te fokus vir twee belangrike redes:

  1. Die sektor is onder geweldige druk weens droogte, beleidsonsekerheid en veiligheidsredes
  2. Investering in die landbou sal reuse maatskaplike opbrengs verdien – nasionale prioriteite soos transformasie, werkskepping, voedselsekerheid, ekonomiese groei en maatskaplike stabiliteit kan deur investering van regeringshulpbronne in landbou die mees effektief te weeg gebring word.

“Om te regeer is om te prioritiseer, en ondersteuning aan die landbou sal ander sektore van die ekonomie ook vinnig baat,” sê Omri van Zyl, Agri SA Uitvoerende Direkteur. “In dié verkiesingsjaar, laat die boodskap van die regering duidelik wees dat breë ondersteuning aan ‘n volhoubare en dinamiese landbousektor die hoof prioriteit sal wees.”

 Agri SA sal na die volgende aspekte in die Staatsrede kyk:

  • Onteieningswetsontwerp: Die onlangs gepubliseerde wetsontwerp vervat verskeie vae terme soos “verlate grond” en grond wat vir “spekulatiewe doeleindes” gehou word wat moontlik teen ‘n nul-waarde onteien kan word. Dit moet uitgeklaar word. Agri SA staan by die algemeen aanvaarde internasionale standaard vir vinnige, voldoende en effektiewe vergoeding.

Agri SA-versoek: Versoek die Departement van Openbare Werke om beleidsekerheid te gee deur dié klousules wat vir onteiening sonder vergoeding toelaat, te definieer.

  • Droogtekrisis: Die voortslepende droogtetoestande in groot dele van landelike gebiede is ‘n reuse risiko vir werkskepping en voedselsekerheid.

Agri SA-versoek: Versnelde droogtebystand is nou die enigste opsie.

  • Waterhervorming: Beleidsonsekerheid en oneffektiewe bestuur van Suid-Afrika se waterhulpbronne en infrastruktuur veroorsaak groot kommer vir die landbousektor.

Agri SA-versoek: Prioritiseer die funksionele kapasiteit van die Departement van Water en Sanitasie ten einde waterwetgewing en -beleid effektief te implementeer.

  • Landelike Veiligheid: Agri SA wens die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens geluk met die verbetering van sy landelike veiligheidsinisiatief deur onder meer die hersiening van die landelike beveiligingstrategie wat Agri SA vertrou vanjaar bekendgestel sal word.

Agri SA-versoek: Die beleid beloof om uitstekende uitkomste te lewer en moet behoorlik geïmplementeer en finansier word.

  • Transformasie: Landbouhervorming is gekniehalter deur ‘n tekort aan befondsing en die oordrag van vaardighede.

Agri SA-versoek: ‘n Landbou-Ontwikkelingsfonds moet gestig en behoorlik gefinansier word.

  • Nasionale Minimumloon: Deur Agri SA se aanstelling tot die Nasionale Minimumloonkommissie sal Agri SA die implementering van die NMW wet en die effek wat dit op die landbousektor ten opsigte van werkskepping kan hê, deeglik monitor.

Agri SA-versoek: Om behoorlik aan die kommissie se voorstelle gehoor te gee en aandag te skenk aan die praktiese aspekte.

“Ons wens President Ramaphosa alle sterkte met die Staatsrede toe. Ons is deeglik bewus van die druk uit verskeie oorde, maar hoop en bid dat hy in 2019 Suid-Afrika sal kan stuur na groter stabiliteit en ekonomiese insluiting.” Agri SA het vyf toegewyde Sentrums van Uitnemendheid wat op die beleidsgebiede Grond, Arbeid en Ontwikkeling, Natuurlike Hulpbronne, Landelike Veiligheid en Ekonomie en Handel fokus. Die amptenare sal voortgaan om hul te beywer vir ondersteunende en transformerende beleidsuitkomste.

Navrae:

Omri van Zyl

Agri SA Uitvoerende Direkteur

(S) 082 417 5724

*******************************

5 February 2019

SONA 2019

Agriculture deserves the combined support of government

Agri SA looks forward to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA). The message from Agri SA is simple: agriculture requires the combined support of all government departments. Agriculture is the best placed sector to focus government’s energies for two important reasons:

  1. The sector is under enormous strain due to drought, policy uncertainty and safety concerns
  2. The social return on investment into agriculture will be enormous – national priorities such as transformation, job creation, food security, economic growth and social stability can be achieved the most effective by investing state resources into agriculture

“To govern is to prioritise, and support to agriculture will quickly benefit all other sectors of the economy,” said Omri van Zyl, Agri SA Executive Director. “In this election year, let the message from government be clear that broad support to sustainable and dynamic agriculture will be a top priority.”

 Agri SA will look to the following elements in the SONA 2019:

  • Expropriation Bill: The recently published Bill contains several vaguely defined phrases such as “abandoned land” and land held for “speculative purposes” for possible expropriation at nil compensation. These should be clarified. Agri SA stands by the generally accepted international standard of prompt, adequate and effective compensation.

Agri SA request: Instruct the Department of Public Works to offer policy certainty by thoroughly defining clauses that allow for EWC.

  • Drought crises: The continued drought conditions in the majority of rural areas poses significant risks to job creation and food security.

Agri SA request: Expedited drought assistance is now the only viable option.

  • Water reform: Policy uncertainty and ineffective governance of South Africa’s water resources and infrastructure is cause for great concern to the agricultural sector in South Africa.

Agri SA request: Prioritise the functional capacity of the Department of Water and Sanitation in order to effectively implement water legislation and policy.

  • Rural safety: Agri SA congratulates the SAPS for improving its rural safety initiative by among others the formulation of the rural safety strategy which Agri SA trusts to be released this year.

Agri SA request: The policy promises excellent outcomes and should be properly implemented and financed.

  • Transformation: Agrarian reform has been stifled by a lack of funding and proper skills transfer.

Agri SA request: An Agriculture Development Fund must be found and properly financed.

  • National Minimum Wage: Through Agri SA’s appointment to the National Minimum Wage Commission, Agri SA will keep a close eye on the implementation of the NMW Act and the effect it will have on the agricultural sector in terms of job creation.

Agri SA request: To give proper consideration to the commission’s recommendations and give attention to the practical aspects.

“We wish the best of luck to President Ramaphosa in the SONA speech. We are well aware of the different pressures bearing down but hope and pray that he will be able to steer South Africa towards greater stability and economic inclusion in 2019.”

 Agri SA has five dedicated Centres of Excellence which focus on the policy areas Land, Labour and Development, Natural Resources, Rural Safety and Economics and Trade. The officials will continue to advocate for supportive and transformative policy outcomes.

nquiries:

Omri van Zyl

Agri SA Executive Director

(C) 082 417 5724