Madam Speaker, my first question would be: What care services does the department provide to land reform beneficiaries to ensure that production does not deteriorate? What is the position in this regard, regarding the black farmers who obtained their farms from the previous TVBC states? The Land Bank seems to be struggling. Has the Minister managed to determine the reasons why the Land Bank is struggling? What strategies are in place to recap this?
Lastly, we have quite a number of institutions or structures like the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme - Casp, Elrad, the Micro Agricultural Financial Institutional Scheme of South Africa - Mafisa, Vimba, Khula, the Land Bank and Gijima. Are these not duplications which could probably cause problems to the management of these institutions? I thank you.
UMPHATHISWA WEZOLIMO NEMICIMBI YEZEMIHLABA: Somlomo, ndiyavuya ukuba lo kaBici sinaye phaya ekomitini, ngoko ke uyayazi imigudu esiyenzayo kwabo bafumana uncedo kulungiso lwezemihlaba okanye ii-Land Reform beneficiaries. Zonke ezi nkqubo athetha ngazo ezinjengoo-Casp, Elrad, Mafisa, kunye noo- Land Bank yimizamo apho iSebe lezoLimo lidibana khona nelezemiHlaba aze ahlangabezane, aqaqeshe abantu bakuthi, abangazange balifumana ithuba ngelaa xesha looHlohlesakhe lokuba nabo bangene kulo mnyango wezoLimo. Mininzi imigudu eyenziweyo ke sinayo nentsebenziswano eqiqileyo okanye ukunkampana kunye nabalimi abamhlophe. Ubuninzi babo bayeza baze kuncedisana naba basakhasayo ukuze bagqithisele amava abo kwakunye nezakhono zabo kubo ukwenzela ukuba la malinge abo kunye nezi fama zintsha zingafi.
Kulo mba weza ngingqi zazisakwaziwa njengee-TBVC states andazi namnye mna kula rhulumente wobandlululo noonomgogwana owakhe wanika abantu umhlaba. Ndazi ukuba umhlaba uqale ukunikezelwa ebantwini ngorhulumente ka-ANC, ongene apha eburhulumenteni ngonyaka we-1994. ukuba ke kukho ooTBVC abanika abantu umhlaba ngamaphupha angekhoyo ke lowo.
Kulo mcimbi weBhanki yomHlaba ndifuna ukukhumbuza ilungu elibekekileyo lo mcimbi waqalwa sesi siGqeba-solawulo, esathatha isgqibo ngomhla wama 20 kuMatshi 2007 ukuba makubekho uphando olunzulu okanye i-forensic audit ngabula makhumsha. Sithe sakufumana ingxelo sathatha izigqibo zokuba mazithathwe ezo ngxelo zisiwe emapoliseni ukuze zisetyenzwe ngokusemthethweni. Sele yenziwe ke loo nto kwaye ezo ncwadi zisaphandwa ngamapolisa. Ukuba kukho ophume endleleni ke wenza izinto ezingafanelekanga apho ebhankini kuza kuqhawuka unobathana. Ndiyabulela. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)
[The MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE AND LAND AFFAIRS: Speaker, I am glad because hon Bici is a member of the committee, and therefore he knows that we spare no effort in helping the beneficiaries of the land reform programme. All the programmes that he is talking about, such as Casp, Elrad, Mafisa and the Land Bank are joint efforts involving the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Land Affairs, where the two departments train previously disadvantaged people. We also have a partnership with white farmers in this regard. Most of these farmers come and share their experiences and expertise with the small farmers so as to ensure that their ventures become viable.
With regard to the former TBVC states, I know of no former Bantustan government that redistributed land to the people. All I know is that land redistribution started in 1994, under the ANC-led government. That any TBVC state ever had a land redistribution programme in place, is a mystery.
Regarding the Land Bank, I want to remind the hon member that this issue was brought to the fore by this executive, which took the decision, on 20 March 2007, to carry out a forensic audit of the bank. When we received the report on the forensic audit, we decided to take it to the police for investigation. That has happened, and the police investigations continue. If any official of the bank is found guilty of any wrong-doing, the law will take its course. Thank you.]