SONA #2 2019: Laaste geleentheid om op openbare vertroue te kapitaliseer | SONA #2 2019: Last opportunity to capitalise on public trust

English to follow:

21 Junie 2019

Agri SA is optimisties oor die Staatsrede, maar dit is nou die laaste geleentheid vir die regering om op die oorblywende openbare vertroue te kapitaliseer en om hul beloftes te eer. Die staatsrede, wat Donderdagaand deur President Cyril Ramaphosa gelewer is, het Suid-Afrika se ekonomiese uitdagings eerlik erken. Die stappe wat aangekondig is om verdere erodering hok te slaan, vereis daadwerklike optrede. Die regering moet verseker dat hy die voorgestelde ekonomiese-ingrypings kan uitvoer deur samewerking met die privaatsektor.

Landelike- en plaasveiligheid bly steeds ‘n kommer en polisiëringsoplossing is nodig om hierdie nasionale krisis aan te spreek.

“Die Staatsrede bevat ’n paar blink planne, maar die daadwerklike implementering daarvan is nodig om die ekonomie om te draai,” sê Omri van Zyl, Agri SA Uitvoerende Direkteur. “Soms is dit meer oor wat nie gesê is nie; dit is opmerklik dat onteiening sonder vergoeding (OSV) nie genoem is nie. Ons kan nie gerus wees oor die risiko van OSV nie, maar die bewusmaking van die burgerlike samelewing en Agri SA het tot beter begrip gelei. Agri SA sal voortgaan om landbouers se belang by internasionale handelsvennote en beleggers voor te staan.”

Die privaatsektor is gereed om President Ramaphosa by te staan om die ontwikkelingsdoelwitte van die Nasionale Ontwikkelingsplan (NOP) te realiseer. Dit is krities dat die NOP met die uitdagings en geleenthede van die 4-de Industriële Revolusie belyn word en Agri SA kan help om hierdie doelwitte te verwesenlik.

Agri SA het drie areas geïdentifiseer waar landbou grootskaalse waardetoevoeging binne die ekonomie kan ontsluit:

1. Energie: Boere kan groen-energie opwek deur son- en windkrag wat druk op die nasionale kragnetwerk kan verlig.
2. Voedselsekerheid: Agri SA ontsluit landelike ontwikkelingsoplossings om Suid-Afrika se posisie as die broodmandjie van Suider-Afrika te verstewig.
3. Mark-uitbreiding: Internasionale-handel skep ekonomiese groei en werksgeleenthede. Daar is al meer internasionale markte wat vir Suid-Afrikaanse produkte ontsluit kan word. Die volgehoue strategiese ondersteuning vanaf die regering sal hierdie handelsgeleenthede vermenigvuldig.

“Agri SA sal voortgaan om praktiese oplossings tot die dringende kwessie van grondhervorming voor te stel,” sê Christo van der Rheede, Agri SA Adjunk-uitvoerende Direkter. “Dit behels onder andere die vestiging van nuwe kommersiële boere en die ontwikkeling van kommersiële landbou binne kommunale gebied.”

 Agri SA sal voortgaan om met President Ramaphosa en sy kabinetslede oor die belangrike kwessies te skakel. Ons bevorder die ontwikkeling, winsgewendheid, stabiliteit en volhoubaarheid van landbou in die belang van boere, plaaswerkers, plaasgemeenskappe en Suid-Afrikaners.

Navrae:

Omri van Zyl

Agri SA Uitvoerende Direkteur

(S) 082 417 5724

Christo van der Rheede

Agri SA Adjunk-uitvoerende Direkteur

(S) 083 380 3492

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21 June 2019

Agri SA is optimistic about the State of the Nation Address (SONA), but this is the last opportunity for government to capitalise on the remaining public trust and deliver on its promises. The SONA delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday night, is a frank admission of South Africa’s economic challenges. The steps announced to prevent further free-fall requires real and bold action. The government needs to ensure that it can deliver on the proposed economic interventions and must cooperate with the private sector.

Rural and farm safety remains a key concern and actual policing solutions will be required to address this national crisis.

“The SONA contains great ideas, but actual implementation is required to turn around the economy,” says Omri van Zyl, Agri SA Executive Director. “Sometimes it’s more about what is not said; it is significant that expropriation without compensation (EWC) was not mentioned. Of course, we cannot be complacent about the threat of EWC, but clearly the activities of civil society and Agri SA has made for greater understanding. We will continue to advocate our position with international trade and investment partners.”

The private sector is capable and ready to assist President Ramaphosa in realising the National Development Plan’s (NDP) development goals. It is critical that NDP is aligned with the challenges and opportunities of the 4^th Industrial Revolution and Agri SA is poised to drive this imperative.

Agri SA has identified three areas where agriculture can add significant value to the economy:

1. Energy: Farmers can generate green energy through solar and wind power that will alleviate the pressure on the national energy grid.
2. Food security: In order to strengthen South Africa’s position as the breadbasket of Southern Africa, Agri SA is rolling out a comprehensive rural development solution to food security.
3. Market expansion: International trade creates economic growth and job opportunities. There are increasing international market opportunities available for South African produce. The coherent strategic support from government will multiply these trade opportunities.

“Agri SA is will continue to propose pragmatic solutions to the burning question of land reform,” says Christo van der Rheede, Agri SA Deputy Executive Director. “This includes elements such as the establishment of a cohort of new commercial farmers, the development of commercial agriculture in communal areas and the development of the green energy sector.”

 Agri SA will continue to engage with President Ramaphosa and cabinet members on these important issues. We promote the development, profitability, stability and sustainability of agriculture in the interest of farmers, farmworkers, the farming community and South Africans.

Enquiries:

Omri van Zyl

Agri SA Executive Director

(C) 082 417 5724

Christo van der Rheede

Agri SA Deputy Executive Director

(C) 083 380 3492