Paneelverslag voorspel probleme vir landbou | Panel report raises red flags for agriculture

English to follow:

28 Julie 2019

Agri SA is baie bekommerd oor verskeie aspekte van die Presidensiële Raadgewende Paneel oor Grondhervorming se verslag, wat insluit omstrede voorstelle soos die wysiging van die Grondwet en grondplafonne. Agri SA ondersteun nie enige beleid of wetgewing wat inbreuk maak op eiendomsregte of enige ander fundamentele reg wat deur die Grondwet beskerm word nie.

“Indien die voorstelle in die verslag geïmplementeer word soos dit uitgestippel is, sal dit voedselsekerheid vir elke Suid-Afrikaner in die weegskaal hang,” sê Omri van Zyl, Agri SA Uitvoerende Direkteur. “Belegger- en sakevertroue is reeds laag en die laaste ding wat ons nou nodig het is nóg druk op die ekonomie en die landbousektor.”

Agri SA se president, Dan Kriek, is ’n lid van dié Presidensiële Raadgewende Paneel oor Grondhervorming en het homself heelhartig tot die proses verbind. Dit het egter mettertyd duidelik geword dat daar fundamentele verskille tussen paneellede is in opinie en benadering ten opsigte van grondhervorming. Kriek en sy mede-paneellid, Nick Serfontein het daarom ’n alternatiewe verslag saamgestel wat veral op privaatsektor-oplossings fokus.

“Die alternatiewe verslag bied sinvolle oplossings vir grondhervorming, wat nie in besonderhede uitgespel word in die paneelverslag nie,” sê Annelize Crosby, Agri SA Beleidshoof: Grond. “Ons is van mening dat grondhervorming in plaasgebiede vooruit sal kan beweeg met die daarstel van ’n landbou-ontwikkelingsagentskap waar die privaatsektor in die bestuur en finansiering van volhoubare grondhervorming die voortou kan neem.”

Tydrowende konsultasieprosesse wat na verwagting op die bekendstelling van die paneelverslag sal volg, kan die implementering van grondhervorming kniehalter.

“Ons moet nou eerder saam werk en betekenisvolle projekte implementeer tot die voordeel van die sektor,” sê Crosby. “Indien die konsultasieprosesse wel begin, sal Agri SA daaraan deelneem en seker maak dat die ekonomiese realiteite, wat nie in die paneelverslag genoegsaam in aggeneem word nie, ook aangespreek word.”

Agri SA is ook bekommerd oor die mosie in die parlement wat Donderdag bekendgemaak is. Dié mosie dui op ‘n duidelike voorneme deur die regerende party om voort te gaan met die onnodige en potensiële skadelike wysiging van die eiendomsklousule.

“Dit word duidelik net om politieke redes gedoen, omdat dit nie geregverdig is nie en geen oplossing vir grondhervorming bied nie,” het Crosby gesê.

Agri SA bly verbind tot ons lede en die volhoubaarheid van die landbousektor. Agri SA wil benadruk dat ons teen enige wysiging van die Grondwet gekant is en geen steen onaangeraak sal laat om die regte van boere te beskerm nie.

Navrae:

Omri van Zyl

Agri SA Uitvoerende Direkteur

(S) 082 417 5724

Annelize Crosby

Agri SA Beleidshoof: Grond

(S) 082 388 0017

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28 July 2019

Agri SA is extremely concerned about several aspects of the Presidential Advisory Panel on Land Reform’s report and particularly the controversial recommendations which include amending the Constitution and land ceilings. Agri SA does not support any policy or legislation that infringes on property rights or any other fundamental right enshrined in the constitution.

“If the recommendations contained in this report are implemented to the letter, food security for all South Africans will be compromised,” says Omri van Zyl, Agri SA Executive Director. “Investor and business confidence are already low, and the last thing we need is further strain on the economy and the agricultural sector.”

Agri SA President, Dan Kriek, was a member of the Presidential Advisory Panel on Land Reform and fully vested himself in this process. However, it became clear that there were fundamental differences in opinion and approach to land reform within the panel. Kriek and fellow panel member, Nick Serfontein, therefor compiled an alternative report with a focus on private sector solutions.

“The alternative report presents identifies common-sensical solutions to land reform, which is lacking in many aspects of the panel report,” says Annelize Crosby, Agri SA Policy Head: Land. “We are strongly of the view that land reform in farming areas will take a huge step forward with the establishment of an agricultural development agency where the private sector takes a leading role in driving and financing sustainable land reform.”

Time-consuming consultation processes that will likely follow the panel report could hamper the implementation of land reform.

“The focus should be on working together and implementing meaningful projects to the betterment of the sector,” says Crosby. “However, should these consultation processes unfold, we will participate fully and make sure that the economic realities, which are not sufficiently addressed in the report, are put on the table.”

Agri SA is also concerned about the motion in Parliament on Thursday that indicates a clear intention by the ruling party to press ahead with the unnecessary and potentially damaging amendment of the property clause.

“This is clearly only being done for political reasons, as it is not warranted and will not solve the land reform problem,” said Crosby.

Agri SA remains committed to our members and the sustainability of the agriculture sector. Agri SA wish to reiterate that we are against any amendment of the Constitution and will leave no stone unturned to protect farmer’s rights.

Enquiries:

Omri van Zyl

Agri SA Executive Director

(C) 082 417 5724

Annelize Crosby

Agri SA Policy Head: Land

(C) 082 388 0017