Chairperson, the UDM will support the Budget Vote, but would like to express concern about issues relating to the Land Bank that have recently been exposed in a meeting of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Scopa.
The Land Bank is supposed to be a development finance institution, yet it has shifted the goalposts and has since become more of a commercial than a development bank. It is critical that the Land Bank is focused upon its development mandate, since agriculture is such a core element in ensuring that the land reform programme succeeds in a meaningful way.
There is a huge need to support the growth of emerging farmers and agribusiness, and this cannot be achieved without development-focused financing. Thank you.
Vote agreed to.
Vote No 25 - Communications - put.
Declaration of vote: