Hon Speaker, as part of the ANC's vision of bringing dignity to rural dwellers by empowering rural communities to end hunger by using the available resources and redistributed land productively, a group of 10 rural people who are part of a co-operative called "Navelani Ndzhavuko" [Our tradition, Our pride], in Msiphani village near Tzaneen, will supply the organisers of the Marula Festival - to be held in Limpopo at Phalaborwa on 9 and 10 March this year - with hundreds of litres of marula beer.
They plan to make 3 000 litres of marula beer by the end of the brewing season.
The co-operative has begun to see profits. They recently supplied the department of sports, arts and culture with 200 litres for the Ku Luma Vukanyi [Tasting of the fruit] ceremony held at Ga-Shongoane Village near Lephalale. One of the co-operative members explained how she was able to sell some of the beer at home and next to a busy road to make enough money to buy food and school uniforms for her four children.
The ANC welcomes this kind of initiative and is heartened by the support of the department of economic development, environment and tourism, as well as the department of sports, arts and culture. We believe that this initiative will benefit the brand Marula Festival, stakeholders and the people of Limpopo as a whole. As this is the UN Year of Co-operatives, they should be encouraged, popularised and supported. Thank you. [Applause.]