Farmers must unite to fight land-reform proposals

The fact that farmers should stand together to fight unconstitutional land-reform proposals was highlighted at a recent Valley Macadamias study group information day. The topic was the proposal that they hand over half of their land to farm workers.

Guest speaker Carl Adendorff of Adendorff Attorneys told farmers it was up to them to make themselves heard and not leave all the work to industry bodies like Agri SA.

He had been in consultation with organised agriculture and the government in submitting a counter proposal and was well informed on the issue.

“As it currently stands, land-reform minister Gugile Nkwinti’s proposal is unconstitutional and unworkable,” Adendorff said. “Nkwinti is hoping to get a portion of the industry to buckle and give in to the proposal. If that happens they can pressure the rest to follow suit. This is why it is extremely important that the industry stands together to oppose the proposal,” he remarked.

Alan Sutton, chairman of the Valley Macadamias Group, is in the process of objecting to the policy and drawing up a counterproposal on behalf of the Valley Macadamia Consortium within the industry. The consortium includes the 236 farmers who deliver to Valley Macadamias. Sutton said the implementation of the policy would have far-reaching consequences, especially in the banking sector where banks are exposed to R180 billion in debt to agriculture.

Adendorff stated that it had become very clear that the minister wanted land. “Government’s policy is non-negotiable in that 50% of farmers’ land must be transferred. The current share ownership and empowerment schemes which are being run by the industry are not alternatives to the policy proposals.”

The conflicting statements made by government departments are, however, frustrating farmers even more, as evidenced by remarks of the farmers present. Examples are agricultural minister Senzeni Zokwana saying that no land would be taken without compensation, while Nkwinti believed no compensation should be made to the farmer for the land.

Adendorff said in conclusion that a lack of government funds was hindering any progress with land reform. “It seems like common sense to take back land that has previously been expropriated but is unutilised and make it productive again. But government will have to recapitalise and that’s a problem. Government has no money. That’s a big problem. There are no funds to implement the new restitution process and the theory is that government is putting these proposals forward in the hope that the industry will come forward with money to help the situation.”