Hon Speaker, the future of agriculture in South Africa is in serious jeopardy. Highly skilled South African farmers are leaving in droves to establish farms in Mozambique, Zambia, the Congo, Nigeria and even Russia.
South Africa must pursue a win-win policy of achieving transformation and retaining scarce skills in agriculture. The department, however, seems to have learnt nothing and forgotten nothing. Any government that fails to give priority to the issue of food security will plunge the country into chaos. President Zuma admitted that food security "is nothing less than a fierce challenge" for government.
Dispensing with skilled educators, doctors and engineers has crippled education, health and municipal service delivery. The collapse of agriculture will lead to a dangerous situation for our country. South Africa needs to guarantee both food security and transformation. The lack of vision is astonishing and its strategic failure is alarming.
Cope demands that government act as though food security is nothing less than a fierce challenge. Anything less will be the ultimate betrayal of the people of South Africa. I thank you. [Applause.]