UDF teams up with farmers for major export drive to the Middle East

The erstwhile anti-apartheid movement United Democratic Front (UDF) has launched a project to help subsistence and commercial farmers export their products to the Middle East.

The initiative includes traditional leaders, women and youth business enterprises. It aims to uplift more than 3 000 black subsistence farmers.

The Land Bank is already involved in the project, while commercial banks have expressed keen interest. Investors are also interested in the project.

UDF helps farmers access export markets

The UDF was established on 20 August, 1983 to fight against the tricameral parliament system and segregation laws.

It became a forum with over 500 progressive organisations comprising, among others, trade unions, women, youth, students, business and civic associations as its affiliates.

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Although it was not established by the ANC, the UDF was seen as an internal wing of the movement, which was banned, and many of its leaders were jailed.

However, the UDF was dissolved on its anniversary on 20 August, 1991, a year after the liberation movement and a host of other political organisations were unbanned.

Former UDF activists and struggle veterans have since revived the organisation as a nonaligned civic movement aiming to represent the interests of all citizens and to hold the state accountable to the people.

Revive its civic mission

UDF-SA member Juliet Diratsagae said the produce targeted in the project includes beef, lamb, goat meat, chicken, fruit, seeds and vegetables.

Diratsagae said eight South African food processors who are all certified as Halaal-compliant had been contracted as the local intermediaries of the consortium, which is led by Mboweni Brothers Incorporated, comprising brothers and family of the late minister Tito Mboweni.

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Other consortium members are three South African poultry producers and two beef and lamb producers.

The project would also introduce “at least new 1 200 women and youth-owned poultry, beef and lamb producers”.

UDF-SA’s Mpho Nchabeleng said various traditional leaders were consulted and most of them bought into the idea.

Traditional leaders sign agreements allowing access to communal land

They have already signed agreements with the UDF-SA allowing it access to their communal land and other resources.

Nchabeleng said the consultation process with traditional leaders should be concluded by October.

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They have also scheduled meetings with ministers and heads of departments for agriculture, land reform and rural development.