Mr Speaker, Agri SA held its annual congress in Johannesburg last week. Agriculture is a huge industry in South Africa contributing 3% to South Africa's gross domestic product, GDP. It is estimated that up to 8,5 million people are directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture for employment and income.
A central theme that ran through discussions was the absolute commitment of the commercial farming community to provide sufficient food for our people. In order to do that, farmers need the support of government in many respects. Various constraints to realising the goal of food security were, however, highlighted. Uncertainty with regard to tenure as a result of chaotic land redistribution, land claims, problems with water licensing, high input costs, cheap imports and stock theft were, inter alia, highlighted.
Die een kritieke en onverskoonbare belemmering vir boere en plaasbewoners is die aanvalle en moorde op ons plase. Dis haas onmoontlik om betroubare regeringstatistieke in die hande te kry, maar volgens Agri SA se eie statistieke is daar elke maand minstens 60 plaasaanvalle en sterf minstens 10 mense in daardie aanvalle. Dit gebeur op die wreedaardigste maniere denkbaar. Die DA wil die regering van ons volle samewerking verseker in enige sinvolle poging om landelike veiligheid te verbeter.
Ter afsluiting wil ek s dat die kongres groot waardering gehad het vir die bydrae en gesindheid van agb minister Joemat-Pettersson, en dat kommersile landbou vir 'n slag opgewonde is oor opbouende samewerking met die regering. Die DA bedank haar vir daardie gesindheid en wil haar verseker dat sy op ons ondersteuning kan staatmaak as sy voortgaan om landbou pragmaties te bestuur, eerder as ideologies polities, soos die geval voorheen was en wat die bedryf groot skade berokken het. Ek dank u. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[The one crucial and inexcusable obstacle for farmers and farm dwellers is the attacks and murders on our farms. It is practically impossible to acquire reliable government statistics, but according to the statistics of Agri SA there are at least 60 farm attacks per month and during these attacks at least 10 people are killed. It occurs in the most brutal manner imaginable. The DA wants to assure the government of our full support in any meaningful attempt to improve rural safety.
In conclusion I want to say that the congress had great appreciation for the contribution and disposition of the hon Minister Joemat-Petterson, and that this time commercial farming is excited about constructive cooperation with the government. The DA thanks her for that disposition and wants to assure her that she can depend on our support if she continues to manage agriculture pragmatically, rather than in terms of political ideology, as was done in the past and which caused great harm to the industry. I thank you. [Applause.]]