Staatsrede 2019 Aksieplan teen korrupsie verwelkom, maar beleidsonsekerheid oor grond en droogtekrisis steeds kwelpunt | Action plan against corruption welcomed, but policy uncertainty over land and drought crisis
English to follow….
8 Februarie 2019
Staatsrede 2019
Aksieplan teen korrupsie verwelkom, maar beleidsonsekerheid oor grond en droogtekrisis steeds kwelpunt
Agri SA verwelkom President Cyril Ramaphosa se staatsrede wat Donderdagaand gelewer is. Agri SA benadruk en verbind hom tot President Ramaphosa se stelling dat dit elke Suid-Afrikaner se verantwoordelikheid is om vooruitgang te verseker.
“Die President se verbintenis om die Suid-Afrikaanse skip uit moeilike waters te stuur kan geprys word,” sê Dan Kriek, Agri SA President. “Dié staatsrede moet gesien word teen die agtergrond van grootskaalse korrupsie, ‘n verswakte ekonomie, die aftakeling van instellings en die haglike toestand van semi-staat instellings soos Eskom wat vir jare lank Suid-Afrika gekenmerk het. Dit is nou tyd om hande te vat en saam te werk.”
Dit is egter jammer dat die beleidsonsekerheid oor grond, landelike veiligheid en droogtekrisis, nie aandag geniet het nie.
“Dit is kommerwekkend dat hy niks oor die erge en voortslepende droogte wat verskeie provinsies raak genoem het nie, en geen melding van die toenemende geweldsmisdaad in landelike gebiede gemaak het nie,” sê Kriek. “Boere is onder druk weens beleidsonsekerheid en die effek van misdaad en -droogte. Die President moet aan die sektor die ondersteuning gee om volhoubaar te kan wees.”
President Ramaphosa het wel erkenning aan die landbousektor gegee en die waardevolle bydrae wat dit tot die ekonomie lewer. Hy sê dié sektor is goed-ontwikkeld, veerkragtig en gediversifiseerd – en dat dit as ‘n basis kan dien om landbou en die ekonomie te groei.
“Die opbou en herstel van die ekonomie moet nóú op die voorgrond geplaas word. Ons moet beleidsekerheid hê om sodoende beleggers na ons sektor en Suid-Afrika te lok.”
Agri SA is verbind tot landbouontwikkeling en -hervorming, en sal voortgaan om hulself vir ‘n volhoubare landbousektor te beywer. Agri SA versoek opnuut die President en die Suid-Afrikaanse regering om beleidsekerheid oor kwellende kwessies te gee wat insluit onteiening sonder vergoeding en droogtehulp. So kan ons almal saam voedselsekerheid en vooruitgang vir alle Suid-Afrikaners verseker.
Navrae:
Dan Kriek
Agri SA President
(S) 082 944 0566
Annelize Crosby
Agri SA Beleidshoof: Grond
(S) 082 388 0017
8 February 2019
SONA 2019
Action plan against corruption welcomed, but policy uncertainty over land and drought crisis remains a concern
Agri SA welcomes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address delivered Thursday evening. Agri SA emphasizes and commits itself to President Ramaphosa’s assertion that it is every South African’s responsibility to ensure progress.
“The President’s commitment to steer the South African ship out of difficult waters can be praised,” said Dan Kriek, Agri SA’s President. “The State of the Nation Address must be seen against the backdrop of large-scale corruption, a weakened economy, the dismantling of institutions and the dire state of semi-state institutions such as Eskom that have characterized South Africa for years. Now is the time to take hands and work together.”
However, it is a pity that the policy uncertainty about land, rural safety and the drought crisis has not been addressed.
“It is worrying that he did not mention the severe and ongoing drought that affects several provinces and made no mention of the increasing violent crime in rural areas,” Kriek said. “Farmers are under pressure due to policy uncertainty and the effect of criminality and drought. The President must give the sector the support to be sustainable. “
President Ramaphosa, however, has given recognition to the agricultural sector and its valuable contribution to the economy. He says the sector is well-developed, resilient and diversified – and that it can serve as a basis for growing agriculture and the economy.
“Building up and restoring the economy must now be placed at the forefront. We need to have policy certainty to attract investors to our sector and South Africa.”
Agri SA is committed to agricultural development and reform and will continue to strive for a sustainable agricultural sector. Agri SA once again calls on the President and the South African government to provide policy certainty on troubling issues, including expropriation without compensation and drought assistance. In this way we can ensure food security and progress for all South Africans.
Enquiries:
Dan Kriek
Agri SA President
(C) 082 944 0566
Annelize Crosby
Agri SA Policy Head: Land
(C) 082 388 0017