Agb Voorsitter, toe die agb Minister aangestel is, het ek vir haar ges dat daar 'n nuwe briesie is wat waai. Die boere kyk met groot verwagting na u, veral in die lig van u voorganger, Lulu Xingwana, wat meer belanggestel het in die ideologie van die party as in die probleme van landbou. En die boere luister na u.
U het verlede jaar by die Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees in u toespraak beloftes gemaak aan die boere. U het vir hulle ges dat as dit by elektrisiteit kom, sal u toesien dat daar subsidies is. Die elektrisiteitpryse het nou met 26% gestyg. Nou skakel die boere my en vra wat het geword van die agb Minister se belofte dat daar na hulle gekyk sal word. Hulle kan dit nie meer bekostig nie. Elektrisiteit is net eenvoudig onbekostigbaar, maar die hele bedryf hang af van die voorsiening van elektrisiteit.
U het byvoorbeeld, nou met die vloede, ges dat u die mense sal besoek. U het vir die mense van Christiana ges dat u na hulle sal kom en daar is op 'n Sondag 'n vergadering vir hulle bel. Hulle het vir twee ure in 'n saal gesit waar daar nie eens stoele was nie. Hulle het op die sement gesit en hulle wag nou nog vir u.
In die vorige bedeling was daar 'n Minister bekend as "Piet Promises". Dit lyk vir my dat ons in die nuwe bedeling 'n "Tina Promises" het, want u maak net beloftes, maar dit word nie uitgevoer nie. Ek wil vandag vir u s, as u aan 'n boer 'n belofte gemaak het, moet u sorg dat u dit uitvoer, want anders tas u u totale integriteit daardeur aan.
Agb Minister, ek s vir u onomwonde dat die werkersberaad wat verlede jaar gehou is, niks anders was as die misbruik van die belastingbetalers se geld om die ANC se propaganda uit te voer nie. U begin nou ook, op 'n baie subtiele manier, 'n ideologiese pad in die landbou volg. Dit is propaganda vir u party, die ANC, want u gaan na die werkers.
Hoekom verwag die regering nie van ander nywerhede om dieselfde behuising vir hul werkers te gee as wat daar van die boere verwag word nie? Die landbou is 'n strategiese nywerheid. Dit is uiters moeilik. As daar nie 'n landbou is nie, kan ons nie vandag hier sit nie, want dan het ons nie kos om te eet en te leef nie.
Daar word baie van die boere verwag. U, as Minister, moet hulle beskerm. U moet hulle vertroetel. U moet hulle nie net beskerm nie; u moet hulle vertroetel. Ek hoor u praat met die Minister van Polisie oor plaasveiligheid. Ons verwelkom dit, maar u moet ook met die Minister van Handel en Nywerheid oor die beskerming van invoere praat. [Tyd verstreke.] (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Mr P J GROENEWALD: Hon Chairperson, when the Minister was appointed I told her that there was a new breeze blowing. The farmers are watching you in anticipation, especially in the light of your predecessor, Lulu Xingwana, who was more interested in the ideology of her party than in the problems of agriculture. And the farmers are listening to you.
In your speech at last year's Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees you made promises to the farmers. You told them that when it comes to electricity you will see to it that there will be subsidies. The price of electricity has now increased by 26%. The farmers are now calling me and asking what has become of the Minister's promise that they will be looked after. They can no longer afford this. Electricity is simply unaffordable, but the whole industry is dependent on the supply of electricity.
Recently with the floods, for instance, you promised to visit the people. You told the people of Christiana that you would be coming to see them and a meeting was arranged for them on a Sunday. They sat for two hours in a hall where there were not even chairs. They were sitting on the cement and they are still waiting for you.
In the previous dispensation there was a Minister known as "Piet Promises". It would seem as if we now have a "Tina Promises" in the new dispensation, because you are just making promises, but they are not being carried out. I want to tell you today that once you have made a promise to a farmer, you must see to it that you carry it out, otherwise your integrity will be affected accordingly in its entirely.
Hon Minister, I put it to you plainly that the workers' summit that was held last year was nothing but the abuse of taxpayers' money in order to carry out ANC propaganda. You are now also, in a very subtle way, starting down an ideological road in agriculture. This is propaganda for your party, the ANC, because you are going to the workers.
Why does the government not expect the same housing for the workers in other industries that it expects from agriculture? Agriculture is a strategic industry. It is very difficult. Without agriculture we could not be sitting here today, because we would not have food to eat to keep us alive.
A lot is expected from the farmers. You, as Minister, should protect them. You should treasure them. You shouldn't just protect them; you should treasure them. I believe you are in communication with the Minister of Police regarding farm security. We welcome this, but you should also speak to the Minister of Trade and Industry about the protection of imports. [Time expired.]]
Chairperson, hon Ministers and Deputy Ministers present here, hon members, comrades and distinguished guests ... ka Sepedi re re lehumo le t?wa t?hemong [... in Sepedi we say the wealth comes from the field].
The year 2011 has been declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Forests, under the theme "Forests for People". In its declaration, the United Nations reminded the world that as countries we have commitments to the Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development and the plan of implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002.
Forests are home to three million people around the world. In the commercial forestry industry in South Africa we employ approximately 170 000 people. The conservation and forestry-related sectors directly employ a further 250 000. An estimated 275 000 people are involved in harvesting, processing and selling non-timber products.
The major restructuring of the forestry sector that took place between 1996 and 1999 under the direction of the National Forestry Action Plan has resulted in the forestry function changing. This process of policy change from forestry management by the state to the development of the potential of the forestry sector has not been easy.
The president of the ANC, in his political overview address to the January 2011 ANC national executive council lekgotla stated that 2011 was the year of economic transformation for "our national project and our nation- building project". The ANC has declared as the top priority for 2011 the creation of jobs within the context of economic transformation. The job losses that were incurred in the 1990s during the restructuring of the forestry sector must be seen to be creating employment in 2011 and eradicating the poverty surrounding so much of our forests. Therefore this Budget Vote must be analysed in the context of whether or not it is delivering on these fundamental mandates.
Our greatest contribution as a nation to the International Year of Forests and its obligations is to ensure that job creation and the eradication of poverty are seriously addressed by the forestry sector, be it in the management of state forests, the oversight of the commercial and small- scale forestry industry, or with regard to indigenous forests.
For this to happen, we need to recognise the very significant role forestry plays in the lives of a large number of rural people, particularly the poor. A new vision for forestry was adopted in 2003, with the emphasis and vision on the overall promotion of socioeconomic development and equity through the sustainable use of the country's forests.
The forestry vision focuses efforts on socioeconomic development and the eradication of poverty. It puts people and their development at the heart of forestry, and recognises that although forestry already contributes to the alleviation of poverty, it has the potential to do much more. The forestry sector has the responsibility to create an enabling environment for economic and social development through sustainable forestry.
The ANC seeks to ensure that the forestry sector undertakes its business in an environmentally sustainable manner in order to ensure that posterity is neither robbed of a nonreplenishable natural resource nor burdened with environmental debts.
The forestry industry is of considerable importance to the national economy and to a large number of poor people living in rural areas. The forest products industry ranks amongst the top exporting industries in the country. In 2008 exports from commercial forests amounted to R59 billion. Employment is estimated at 170 000 permanent, contract and informal workers. Between 390 000 and 560 000 mostly rural South Africans earn a living on the basis of the forestry sector.
We need to take stock of where we are in terms of the decentralisation of the management of the forestry sector in South Africa. Whilst some would want to call it transformation, it is more correctly a transition from one system of forestry governance to another, transferring ownership of the management of forests but not the land. While policy reforms and ongoing support have created real opportunities, putting this into practice for a more equitable distribution of benefits, job creation and more sustainable forest management continues to be a challenge.
In many cases, inadequate technical competencies, funding and incentives have constrained effective implementation on the ground. Conflict can make governance particularly challenging. We have experienced this in the community forestry sector.
Increased trade investment and financial flows in and out of South Africa and Southern Africa also add a layer of complexity to the governance of commercial forests. These issues and challenges are likely to take on even greater significance in the context of current discussions on reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation in the international climate change debate.
At a continental level, it is time to take stock of challenges and to synthesise Africa's unique experiences in forest governance. This will help in identifying the features of more promising systems of forest governance, and support African decision-makers at diverse levels to better leverage governance transitions for the benefit of forest communities and society at large.
Turning to the relationship between forestry and climate change, for many South Africans and especially on the African continent, climate change is not something that is going to happen in the future. It is already affecting their water supplies and their ability to grow trees and crops.
The pressure is on us now politically to manage and adapt to significant changes in the climate. We cannot wait until international institutions have concluded debates and decided approaches. We need to directly assist and act now within the context of the forestry sector. Forests have a vital role to play in the future of the planet and in sustaining life on earth. The role of forests in providing ecosystems and services is critical, and the need to both protect and restore them is urgent.
This year's Budget Vote reflects the changes that the department continues to go through. The result is that some programmes have been renamed and combined. The "sustainable use and protection of land and water" mandate of the former Programme 2 and the "disaster and risk management services" mandate of the former Programme 3 have been added to the Forestry Programme in the current Medium-Term Expenditure Framework period.
The government priority outcomes through which the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors will play a role in ... The ANC supports the Budget Vote. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Chairperson, the MF is greatly concerned about the Durban Metro abandoning fishing. We took a decision that the small, medium and micro enterprises, SMMEs, and the informal sector in subsistence fishing were very important. There are over 200 000 subsistence fishermen around the coast of KwaZulu-Natal, and more especially black people are coming into the fishing industry.
At this time of severe unemployment these people are being harassed, yet they are earning a living. There are impediments that are placed in their paths. The MF therefore calls for the immediate intervention by the Minister to make sure that all restrictions on fishing on the KwaZulu-Natal coastline are lifted. We are absolutely concerned about KwaZulu-Natal and agriculture - there is hardly any progress. It is absolutely imperative to get the best people selected to handle agricultural matters in our country. Small-scale farmers collectively make an incredible contribution to farming. Bihar, a small state in India, grows vegetation for over 1,2 billion people.
It is very important that we see the reality of a lack of funding, and the need to assist small-scale farmers who are flood victims by compensating them for their losses. Land claims in respect of agricultural land have not been finalised and farmers have been waiting for a period of over three years.
Whilst government has allocated funds for disaster and drought, farmers are forced to abandon their farms because of a lack of assistance and relief. The MF calls for a thorough evaluation and investigation into the challenges of the agricultural sector, as it plays a pivotal and very important role in job creation and poverty alleviation.
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries play a pivotal role in creating a robust economy. These activities must therefore not only translate into economic opportunities for a special sector, but must translate into social improvements and economic opportunities for all our people. The MF will support the Budget Vote. [Applause.]
Hon Chair, hon Ministers and hon members, members would be advised to have their earphones ready as I will be speaking in both English and Afrikaans.
When I served on Scopa in the first year of my tenure, I got the impression that the standing committee was burying the dead. By this I mean that those departments and entities were beyond repair. Moving to the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, I expected to be tending to the sick or the wounded. Well, gradually it dawned that the wounds were more serious than mere flesh wounds. I am now convinced that, as a whole, the department is in fact mortally wounded.
Laat my toe om te verduidelik. Die dubbele slag van onvoldoende begrotings en kaderontplooiing is besig om te veroorsaak dat die departement homself doodbloei. Die afdelings of entiteite wat die beste vaar - en sommige, soos die Perishable Products Export Control Board, die Onderstepoort Biological Products en andere vaar selfs uitstekend - is grotendeels selfversorgend wat finansies betref, het 'n element van private inisiatief en is onder goeie bestuur. Die logiese gevolgtrekking wat 'n mens kan maak, is dat die departement grootliks ontbind moet word en die funksies deur die privaatsektor behartig moet word. Die Minister kan dit maar gerus oorweeg en sodoende van haar nagmerries ontslae raak. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Allow me to explain. The double blow of inadequate budgeting and cadre deployment is causing the department to bleed to death. Those sections or entities that are performing the best - and some, such as the Perishable Products Export Control Board, Onderstepoort Biological Products and others are even excelling - are largely self-sufficient as regards financing, have an element of private initiative and are under good management.
The logical conclusion one can come to is that the department should be largely disbanded and the functions managed by the private sector. The Minister can safely consider doing this, thereby getting rid of her nightmares.]
More than a year ago in a meeting with the Minister, I told the Minister that in the Marine and Coastal Management she had inherited a can of worms.
Wel, miskien het die Minister gedink ek oordryf, maar die media, wat gewoonlik beter weet, het dit gerapporteer. Die bewyse is nou daar en die media berig op Dinsdag, 22 Maart vanjaar, dat die amptenare die Minister dalk mislei het deur die antwoorde wat verskaf is op vrae wat deur die agb mnr Ellis aan haar gestel is. Ek hoop die ondersoek wat u gelas het, word deur onafhanklike persone gedoen.
Oor hierdie afdeling wat nou al vir jare na vrot vis ruik, wil ek nie meer s nie, behalwe dat dit die Minister nog lank gaan besig hou.
Die huidige renseisoen in die binneland is buitengewoon en damme is besig om vol te raak. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Well, the Minister may have thought I was exaggerating, but the media, which usually knows better, reported this. The evidence is now clear and the media reported on Tuesday, 22 March of this year, that the officials may have misled the Minister through the answers that were provided to questions that were put to her by the hon Mr Ellis. I hope the investigation that you have ordered will be undertaken by independent persons.
About this section, which for years has been reeking of rotten fish, I wish to say no more, except that it will keep the Minister occupied for a long time to come.
The current inland rainy season is exceptional and dams are filling up.]
In this case the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs apparently did not realise that there were farms downriver from the dams and that the gradual opening of dams is required to avoid flooding these farms. We now have the situation that these farms lost their entire harvest and the state refuses to compensate the farmers.
The most glaring example of incompetence and mismanagement demonstrated must certainly be the inability to act and repair the fence between KwaZulu- Natal and Mozambique. How is it possible that a provincial department cannot, over a period of eight years, see that the fence is down, and not report it and not repair it? How is it possible that they did not realise the consequences of this? If it was reported and budgeted for in the amount of R27 million last year alone, how was it possible that the national department did nothing about it? The answer is that we simply don't know because the department and provincial departments, except in the Western Cape, seem to be clueless. Minister, if your department lies to you or, as it is expressed in parliamentary fashion, misleads you, then you will also end up being clueless.
Minister, if you need to fly, rather fly along the border fences and inspect them. Unfortunately and on a lighter note, you won't earn Voyager Miles.
Furthermore, there are two aspects that need to be addressed: The waning profitability of commercial farming and wrong perceptions.
Daar bestaan die persepsie dat boerdery onwinsgewend bedryf kan word, solank dit net produseer. Dit is natuurlik absolute malligheid. Daar bestaan ook die persepsie dat plase met marginale winste deur die bank in 50% ekwiteitskemas omskep kan word. Dit is natuurlik 'n saak van ekonomiese onmoontlikheid.
Solank ons hierdie wanpersepsies voed, gaan die Minister, die regering en die departement die verkeerde strategie najaag en die verkeerde besluite neem. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[The perception exists that farming may be practised unprofitably, as long as there is production. Of course this is absolute lunacy. The perception also exists that farms with marginal profits can be transformed into 50% equity schemes by banks. This is, of course, a matter of economic impossibility.
As long as we keep on feeding these misconceptions, the Minister, the government and the department will keep on chasing after the wrong strategies and taking the wrong decisions.]
The end result will be spectacular and catastrophic. We do not want to repeat Mao's "Great Leap Forward". The department simply does not have the budget or the capacity to carry out their policies and mandate. In fact, I am of the opinion that the department does not even have the capacity to write properly researched policies, let alone implement them. The recent small-scale fishing policy is a case in point.
As far as profitability in the private sector is concerned, the commercial fishing industry does not make enough profit to reinvest in fishing vessels. The return on investment will not be enough. Law enforcement and the protection of marine resources are issues that remain unresolved by this and previous budgets, for various reasons.
The fish may be there, but we won't be able to harvest it profitably, and by "profitably" I mean that we have to sell it at an affordable price to the consumers. This is the crux of the matter, not only for fish products, but everything else, except of course selling government, which seems to be a monopoly product, hopefully not for long.
Wreldwyd is voedselpryse in 'n gevaarlike opwaartse spiraal, soos die afgelope tyd en vandag weer in die Business Report van die Cape Times gerapporteer word. In Suid-Afrika is die jaarlikse voedselinflasie nou so 36% tot 37%. Die Gautengse tolpaaie gaan die vervoerder van landbouvoorrade 'n addisionele 66 sent per kilometer uit die sak jaag, en byvoorbeeld melk se prys van R7 tot R10 per liter verhoog. Net hier om die draai is die wynbedryf op sy knie. Die vrugtebedryf is weens die sterk rand op dun ys. Die kleinveebedryf word met fisiese uitwissing deur ongediertes bedreig. Die grootvee- en wildbedryf word deur die regering se onvermo om bek-en- klouseer te voorkom, bedreig. Die koringoes is die laagste in dekades weens boere se onttrekking uit die bedryf omdat dit nie winsgewend is nie, ens. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Globally food prices are in a dangerous upward spiral, as has been reported of late and again today in the Business Report of the Cape Times. Annual food inflation in South Africa is now at 36% to 37%. The Gauteng toll roads are going to cost the conveyors of agricultural supplies an additional 66 cents per kilometer, increasing, for instance, the price of milk from R7 to R10 per litre. Just up the road here the wine industry is on its knees. Because of the strong rand, the fruit industry is on thin ice. The small livestock industry is under threat of being physically eradicated by wild animals. The cattle and game farming industries are under threat from the government's inability to prevent foot-and-mouth disease. The wheat harvest is at its lowest in decades, because farmers are withdrawing from the industry now that it is no longer profitable, etc.]
Governments worldwide fear and are preparing for a steady rise in food prices and a shortage of food, but in South Africa the government seems to be oblivious to this fact, if one looks at policies and budget allocations. The government is contemplating agricultural reforms that would require extensive capital and manpower with the right skills, and yet cannot compensate 100 farmers for flood damage. How will more than 200 000 small- scale farmers be established and sustained; with what?
Although it is necessary to develop unproductive trust lands, where are the funds going to come from? It is incomprehensible how the department and the Minister can deceive themselves that the strategies and action plans will, in fact, achieve the goals.
Die grootste bedreigings vir Suid-Afrika op hierdie oomblik is in die persepsies dat winsgewende boerdery en groeiende produksie nie belangrik is nie; dat kommersile boerdery deur kleiner eenhede vervang kan word; dat kleinboere die stedelike bevolking goedkoper kan voed; en dat, wanneer alles uiteindelik skeefloop en die planne faal, Suid-Afrika voedsel kan invoer.
Wel, eerstens sal ons nie alle tekorte kan invoer nie, want die wreld gaan tekorte h. Tweedens, wat ons wel sal kan invoer, sal so vrek duur wees dat net die rykes dit sal kan bekostig. Teen die tyd dat stowebeesvleis R500 per kilogram kos, is die land al lankal onregeerbaar. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[The biggest threats facing South Africa at this stage are found in the perceptions that profitable farming and increased production are of no importance; that commercial farming can be replaced by smaller units; that smallholder farmers can feed city populations more cheaply; and that eventually, when it all goes awry and these plans fail, South Africa can import food.
Well, firstly, we will not be able to import to cover all of the shortages, because the world will be experiencing shortages. Secondly, what we will be able to import will be so hellishly expensive that only the rich will be able to afford it. By the time stewing beef costs R500 per kilogram, the country will have been ungovernable for some time].
Minister, I have studied your performance agreement signed with the President carefully ... Thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Chairperson, I want to remind our people outside that this component of the ANC represents all shades of opinion in agriculture. We strive for a united and prosperous sector, and we speak on behalf of people and what they experience on the ground. My chairperson took a bird's-eye view of everything. My comrade here visited the West Coast and the coastal areas. And my comrade over there visited all the forest areas, but she is still in one piece. [Laughter.]
It was Gandhi who said: "Live as if you will die tomorrow, but plan as if you will live forever." Farmers must plan years ahead in order to farm optimally in a harsh, unpredictable, uncertain and challenging environment. The weather, markets, policies, taxes and levies, toll fees and a host of other challenges confront them. The policy environment must therefore be made hospitable by government in order for agriculture to survive.
Being price-takers, farmers are heavily affected by high input costs. They are continuously subjected to increases in the fuel price, water tariffs, farm tax, and fertiliser price. These erode the meagre profits that they make out of agriculture. Low commodity prices caused by cheap imports and dumping, little tariff protection and high subsidisation of farmers in other parts of the world will contribute to farming being less attractive.
Die landbouer is uitgesonder as die werkgewer in die ekonomiese sektor wat basies 'n reg aan werknemers moet toestaan vir behuising, kragtens wet. Landbouers probeer nou om met so min as moontlik werkers klaar te kom deur meganisasie, want arbeids- en ander wette maak indiensneming onvriendelik. Dit is wat ek op voetsoolvlak hoor.
Ongeveer 90% van die plase in die proses van restitusie en hervorming was hopelose mislukkings, aldus minister Nkwinti. Derhalwe het die swak hantering daarvan, gepaardgaande met korrupsie, die swak vermons van sommige amptenare, en 'n gebrek aan toegewydheid daartoe gelei dat die oorgrote meerderheid van restitusie-plase totaal onproduktief geword het en sal bydra tot 'n gebrek aan voedselsekerheid. Ons moet dringend planne beraam om daardie 90% van plase wat nie produktief is nie weer produktief te kry. Anders staar ons gevaar in die gesig. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[The farmer is the only employer in the economic sector who basically needs to grant employees the right to housing, by law. Farmers are now trying to cope with the minimum number of employees by means of mechanisation, as labour and other laws are causing employment to become an unfriendly course of action. This is what I am hearing at grass-roots level.
According to Minister Nkwinti, approximately 90% of the farms in the restitution and reform process were hopeless failures. Consequently the poor management of this process, coupled with corruption, the poor capacity of some officials, and a lack of commitment, gave rise to the fact that the vast majority of restitution farms have become totally unproductive and will contribute to a lack of food security. We need to urgently devise plans to ensure that the 90% of farms that were not productive become productive again. Otherwise we are facing danger.]
Many farmers are expanding their operations to other countries on the continent. I want to remind the hon Carter that there are agreements between governments, that South Africans who are going to any part of the continent will merely be expanding their interests over there; whether they will breach that agreement later only time will tell.
The Sapekoe Tea Estate in Magoebaskloof, a tea production farm which, at its peak, employed up to 12 500 seasonal and permanent workers, has now relocated to Kenya and they are providing jobs to over 20 000 people there. We are creating jobs in another country. Some of our foremost banana growers are now operating in Mozambique, and it is said that others are destined to follow, which means we will be importing bananas.
There are, of course, 90 South African farmers who apparently visited Georgia towards the end of last year. According to the information I got, early this year at least seven of them returned to Georgia in the old Russian Federation, and are busy establishing themselves as farmers there. I don't know whether our government has an agreement with that country.
I am told that a farmer who wants to farm wyndruiwe [grapes for wine] in Georgia has purchased a farm for the princely amount of R1 112 per hectare, but he has got to develop the farm. In South Africa thou shalt payeth R150 000 to R250 000, for a productive farm.
In my district alone, sir, approximately 50 farmers have either given up completely because of unprofitability and uncertainty, or have set themselves up overseas. Some have gone to Saskatchewan - I believe it is very cold there - and others have gone to Australia and other parts of the world. It hurts when you hear that people who should be remaining here to help us to grow the industry are leaving the country.
We have to look at the causes. Out of 10 dairy farmers in my district in 1998, only 2 remain. This is indeed a bleak scenario if these trends continue, and we need to address them.
Veeboere staar geweldige uitdagings in die gesig. Dit is siektes, veediefstal, roofdiere, droogtes, en ander bedreigings wat tot baie verliese lei. Talle landbouers het onttrek uit veeboerdery en talle oorweeg dit. Verliese as gevolg van veediefstal het verlede jaar 'n beraamde R400 miljoen beloop. Verliese veroorsaak deur roofdiere het R1,39 miljard beloop, volgens 'n ondersoek deur die Universiteit van die Vrystaat wat in die vyf provinsies waar met kleinvee geboer word, gedoen is. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Stock farmers are faced with enormous challenges. Illnesses, stock theft, predators, droughts, and other threats are causing many losses. Many farmers have opted out of stock farming and several others are considering it. It is estimated that losses through stock theft amounted to R400 million last year. According to research conducted by the University of the Free State in the five provinces where there is farming with small livestock, losses caused by predators amounted to R1,39 billion.]
We have lost our foot-and-mouth disease-free status as a country, ceasing exports of cloven-hoofed animal products. Wool is now piling up in auction warehouses and farm storerooms. You can see the photographs; they have even appeared on TV. The value for the current season is R1,8 billion's worth of wool.
Losses through damage caused by animals amounted to a total of R1,39 billion. Jackals and lynx are indiscriminate and they kill stock belonging to both commercial and poor developing farmers; they don't choose.
If serious steps are not taken, the wool and mutton industries will be destroyed within a decade. My friends, the greens, must come to the party and find ways and means of making this happen; otherwise they will not have woollen clothing to wear or mutton on their tables.
In the current disease situation, South Africa is in the grip of probably the largest foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in history. In 2010, after being dormant for decades, Rift Valley fever, AVF, showed its face. It was responsible for the death of 26 people, including some promising veterinarians. It caused huge losses due to mortality and abortion in the cattle and small stock industries.
The avian influenza outbreak has resulted in the termination of our ostrich exports. I'm made to understand that it is worth R105 million per month.
African horse sickness currently has a devastating impact on the horse industry.
The current capacity situation within the department is disastrous. Now I want to be honest and say it.
'n Totaal van 37% van nasionale en provinsiale staatsveeartsposte is vakant. Dog is veeartse in die departement geskuif na poste wat nie strook met hul kwalifikasies nie. 'n Totaal van 26% van grensbeheerposte is vakant. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[A total of 37% of national and provincial state veterinary surgeon positions are vacant, yet veterinary surgeons in the department were moved to positions that are not appropriate for their qualifications. A total of 26% of border control positions are vacant.]
International veterinary fences are in disrepair. In spite of an amount of R27 million being earmarked for the upgrade of the buffer-zone fence in the northern part of KwaZulu-Natal, it remains disintegrated.
The sole producer of African vaccines, Onderstepoort Biological Products, is in dire need of recapitalisation. And I want to warn them that recently some producers have complained about the effectiveness of some OBP products. We are still dependent on Botswana for foot-and-mouth disease vaccines. This is ironic and one wonders what the current status of the Agricultural Research Council's foot-and-mouth laboratory is.
The lack of more formal and structured co-operative governance arrangements between national and provincial veterinary competencies must be addressed. A national animal disaster master plan needs to be found and implemented immediately. [Applause.]
The department plans to establish commodity associations over the next four years. There is no plausible explanation, nor have we seen any scientific research and empirical information to support this. South African agriculture has over several decades developed strong commodity organisations. Grain SA has 52 developing, or now commercial, grain farmers producing between 250 and 1 000 tons of grains per season - the members of the "250 ton club".
The farmers continue struggling because of physical limitations and threats; a lack of knowledge and access to technology; dependency; and bureaucratic stifling. However, I want to acknowledge that a great deal of help does come from Grain SA. We need to build on that goodwill to help our people.
Faced with all these issues and challenges, it beggars belief that the department plans fruitless and wasteful expenditure ... [Applause.] ... on the proverbial reinventing of the wheel, whilst one provincial department failed in the last season to assist 38 grain producers with R2,3 million required to refurbish their ageing tractors and implements. [Applause.]
Chairperson, we have heard on numerous occasions ...
Agb Voorsitter, op 'n punt van orde: Ek weet die agb Mosiuoa Lekota is nie baie in die Raadsaal nie. Hy klap so hard hande dat ek skaars kan hoor wat die agb lid te s het. [Gelag.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Mr P J GROENEWALD: Hon Chairperson, on a point of order: I know the hon Mosiuoa Lekota does not frequent the Chamber much. He applauds so loudly that I can hardly hear what the hon member has to say. [Laughter.]]
That's not a point of order, hon member. Hon member Abram, continue.
Voorsitter, ek hoop ek kry beseringstyd. Die agb lid het my nou hier in die rede geval. [Gelag.] [Chairperson, I hope I'm granted injury time. The hon member has just interrupted me. [Laughter.]]
The strategic goals that are outlined in the strategic plan regarding one functioning funding facility, a one-step developing fund - elsewhere they talk about the value chain financing model - are all concepts that we have heard of over the past 10 years. I'm hearing of a one-stop model; our people outside are waiting for that one-stop financing model at cheap interest rates. [Applause.] Give it to them; don't just talk about it. [Interjections.]
We have here the Kaonafatso beef cattle scheme. It's an Agricultural Research Council project, but the ARC has yet to present to the portfolio committee all the facts and details about their version of the success of that scheme. I am awaiting that.
Furthermore, there are approximately 50 developing farmers who are now commercial stud cattle breeders. An overwhelming number of them were mentored by commercial farmers, and another 20 are currently under mentorship. Forty-two developing dairy farmers are on the milk recording scheme, mentored and subsidised by commercial milk producers. We must build further on that relationship.
The animal recording and performance-testing schemes and the Intergrated Registration and Genetic Information System, Intergis, through the dedicated, committed and active involvement of industry role-players over decades, worked well. However, the resources-strapped ARC is relocating the Intergis from Bloemfontein, where this worked very well, to Pretoria, which - I humbly submit - is an ill-considered decision, which will lead to disastrous consequences for the livestock industry. I predict that industry role-players will desert the official schemes and operate their own.
Musa ukulungisa into engaphukanga. [Do not fix something that is not broken broken.]
Duncan Serapelwane is one of almost 10 developing registered Bonsmara stud breeders. He farms on an inhospitable, rented government farm in the Vryburg district that has severely limited water resources. Yet, he has made it without government assistance, but with the assistance of commercial Bonsmara stud breeders. He breeds performance-tested bulls and has notched up many awards.
The ARC lacks the capacity to carry out its core function, namely research, which requires serious intervention. Involvement of industry role-players largely contributed to the success of the schemes. In our quest to create more jobs, research must focus on developing technology that promotes small and large family farming businesses. Alternative energy sources for farming must also be researched. [Applause.]
Mmetla kgola o e betla a lepile gaabo. [Leaders do things that benefit their people.]
Unfortunately, my time is up, but I just want to tell members that the institutional memory within the department is, at best, six months old. We have so many actors in the department. Let us get a functional department and let it start running. [Applause.]
Finally, may the blessing hands of our Lord rest on everyone who is helping to grow food and provide food security for our people. Without that, we will not be able to go further. Mother Teresa expressed the idea that all we are trying to do is but a drop in the ocean. But if we hadn't done anything, the ocean would be short of that drop. Thank you. [Applause.]
The MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES: Thank you, Chairperson. I have to say that I apologise to all the young people who are out of school today, my two sons in particular. What you were subjected to was a session in a mental institution. I have never heard such a cacophony of loud noise. I've learnt that you should avoid loud and aggressive people. They are a vexation to the spirit.
To the Leader of the Opposition, could you please change some of your members so that I can have something to listen to when I come and spend so much time at the budget speech? [Interjections.]
Order, order, please! Order, hon members! [Interjections.] Order! Can we listen to the Minister, please.
The MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES: Hon Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, thank you very much for coming.
Before the budget speech started a number of members said these are just election speeches. They came to me, and acknowledged and admitted that these were election speeches and that I shouldn't really worry about what they had to say. So I'm not going to worry about what they said. I am just going to tell their leaders please to watch out, because many of your members came to me and told me that these are just election speeches. [Interjections.] I am going to ask them to give us copies of their election speeches.
Hon member Carter, yours is the loudest noise of all. Please, don't bother sending me your speech. Hon member Groenewald, your condition is somewhere between schizophrenia and bipolar disease. A member of your party is the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. You can ask him about electricity in the ... [Interjections.]
Chairperson, on a point of order ... [Interjections.]
Yes, what's your point of order? [Interjections.] Order, please! Order! [Interjections.]
No, it is not a waste of time. It is important.
Order! Order, please!
Chairperson, on a point of order: Is it parliamentary for the Minister to attack the individual, or should the Minister be addressing the questions the members have raised?
Agb Voorsitter, op 'n verdere punt van orde ... [Hon Chairperson, on a further point of order ...]
Hon member, can I deal with this issue first? Hon Minister, let us address the members through the Chair.
The MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES: Chair and hon members, I shall do so. Thank you.
Agb Voorsitter, op 'n verdere punt van orde: Die agb Minister kan my maar aanval. Ek het nie 'n probleem daarmee nie. Dit lyk my haar suiker is 'n bietjie hoog vanmre. Dankie. [Gelag.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Mr P J GROENEWALD: Hon Chairperson, on a further point of order: The hon Minister may attack me. I have no problem with that. It seems as if her sugar level is a bit high today. Thank you. [Laughter.]]
Continue, hon Minister.
The MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES: Thank you, hon Chairperson. Normally when you suffer from ... [Interjections.]
Is that a point of order?
Chairperson, on a point of order: The Minister made a statement that certain members said to her that they had made election speeches. Who are these people? Certainly, it's not me. [Interjections.] She must tell us who these people are.
Hon member, take your seat. I'm not going to force the Minister to name people. Hon Minister, continue.
The MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES: Thank you, hon Chairperson. These are reliable sources. [Interjections.]
In this Budget Vote I reiterated the need to strengthen collaboration amongst stakeholders, and co-operation with all spheres of government and other relevant social partners in our quest to offer a better life for all. I also emphasised our express excitement about the new opportunities presented through our participation in the various global economic blocs, which will invigorate our production capacity while stimulating our job creation and alleviating poverty.
I wish to extend my gratitude to the director-general, Mr Langa Zitha. I also wish to extend my gratitude to the chairperson of the portfolio committee, the chairperson of the select committee, and the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Rural Development and Land Reform. These are comrades who have made a very valuable contribution towards agriculture, and if it means cadre deployment, I'll deploy them over and over again.
My appreciation is extended to the many industries related to agriculture, forestry and fisheries for their readiness to engage and to contribute positively to the government's call for food security and job creation, particularly in the face of the global recession and other adverse socioeconomic influences affecting our country.
I would like to thank the entire staff of the department for their support, particularly in reshaping the new structure and repositioning it for effective and improved service delivery.
I wish to apologise to the staff for the abuse they have to suffer at the hands of certain hon members. I also wish to thank the Deputy Minister, Dr Pieter Mulder ... [Interjections.]
Order! Hon members, can we listen to the Minister. Let the Minister complete her speech.
The MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES: I would also like to thank the hon Deputy Minister, Dr Pieter Mulder. I hope that he will tell the member of his party that the plane couldn't land, and that a plane doesn't land in mud.
I would like to thank the Deputy Minister for his interventions to ensure the integration of the agriculture, forestry and fisheries subsectors, particularly in support of the African development agenda. The member of your party supports the African development agenda. Thanks to your party for giving me such a good Deputy Minister. [Interjections.]
Last but not least, your party is helping me to honour those commitments and promises. If I say we will look at something, it does not mean it is going to happen. Ask your Deputy Minister; he will give you a response.
Lastly ... [Interjections.] I would like to ask you to be quiet when I ... [Interjections.]
Hon member, is that a point of order?
Yes, Chairperson, I just want to know who the speaker is here. Is it this lady here or that one? [Interjections.]
Order! Order, please! [Interjections.] Order! Continue, hon Minister.
Chair, on a point of order: Is it parliamentary for the hon member, with reference to the Minister, to say "this lady here or that one"?
The MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES: Apologise, please. [Interjections.] Could you apologise to me, please?
In fact, hon members, it is not parliamentary to do that. She is an "hon Minister".
The MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES: Apologise to me, please. [Laughter.]
Hon Minister, I'm trying to assist you. [Laughter.] Your provocations are calling back provocations, you see. Hon members, we refer to members as "hon members", please. Can the Minister conclude?
Yes, I want to apologise, sir. I thought it would be quicker to speak a couple of words.
Thank you very much, hon member. Thank you very much.
The MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES: Hon member, your apology is well received and accepted with dignity.
Last but not least, I would like to thank my family: my cousin, Aunty Rhoda, thank you very much for being here; my sister, Helene - I shall never refer to you as my brother's wife again - and my brother, Andre. I would like to thank my sons, Terence and Austin, and their caregiver and surrogate mother, Aunty Lorna, for allowing me to do this job and allowing me the opportunity to serve the ANC, to sacrifice for the ANC and to serve my country. I thank you. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.