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.]]