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Cape Town - It is not true that nothing is happening in rural development in the Western Cape, said Western Cape Agriculture MEC Gerrit van Rensburg on Monday.
He reacted to statements made by Minister of Agriculture Tina Joemat-Pettersson regarding farm workers and rural development issues in the province.
In her critique of the Western Cape, Joemat-Pettersson touched on rural development, farm worker programmes, the national government’s interventions and claimed the 2012/13 rural unrest in the Western Cape was non-political in nature.
"I have always maintained a cordial relationship with Minister Joemat-Pettersson and will continue to do so. I nevertheless need to correct her on her uninformed position regarding the above four topics," said Van Rengsburg in a statement.
"It is not true that nothing is happening in rural development in the Western Cape. As a matter of fact, the Western Cape has in the short time span since 2009 become the national champion of rural development."
He said the province has developed an approach and framework which has been adopted by the national government.
Van Rensburg said it is also not true that the Western Cape is not doing anything for farm workers nor addressing farm worker issues.
"The Western Cape Department of Agriculture is the only department in South Africa with a dedicated farm worker programme. The Western Cape Farm Worker Development Programme receives no financial support from the National Government," Van Rensburg said.
The Western Cape Farm Worker of the Year Competition is one such example.
"Deputy President Motlanthe has so far convened two dialogue sessions in the Western Cape, in Paarl in February 2013 and again in De Doorns in May this year," said Van Rensburg.
"These dialogue sessions have resulted in nothing more than hot air. No plans, no budgets, not even meeting notes. If these meetings did not take place, nothing would have been different."
He said this is in stark contrast to the Western Cape Government’s approach.
The Western Cape Government has developed a 12-point plan and a budget of R17.37m was approved for farm worker development issues.
The 12-point plan was officially announced at Deputy President Motlanthe second dialogue event in De Doorns in May. Joemat-Pettersson was the Chairperson of that meeting.
"Progress reports are available on all twelve interventions. The plan also includes the Future for Agriculture and Rural Economy (Fare) process," said Van Rensburg.
"This is an all-inclusive attempt to get role players in the Western Cape Province to describe the challenges, but to also find a future vision for agriculture in the province which would be acceptable to all."
He said it is worth mentioning that the ANC also supports this process, and Marius Fransman was at the launch in his capacity as Western Cape Leader of the ANC.
Regarding Joemat-Petterson's view of the non-political nature of the unrest, Van Rensburg asked why the unrest then only took place in the Western Cape.
"Are organisations, such as Bawsi also being funded by the National Department of Agriculture to mobilise people in strike activity in the rest of the country?" he asked.
"As provincial minister, I am asking the national minister not to destabilise the situation and to rise above political rhetoric. It is high time the national minister becomes the custodian of agriculture in South Africa."
- Fin24
He reacted to statements made by Minister of Agriculture Tina Joemat-Pettersson regarding farm workers and rural development issues in the province.
In her critique of the Western Cape, Joemat-Pettersson touched on rural development, farm worker programmes, the national government’s interventions and claimed the 2012/13 rural unrest in the Western Cape was non-political in nature.
"I have always maintained a cordial relationship with Minister Joemat-Pettersson and will continue to do so. I nevertheless need to correct her on her uninformed position regarding the above four topics," said Van Rengsburg in a statement.
"It is not true that nothing is happening in rural development in the Western Cape. As a matter of fact, the Western Cape has in the short time span since 2009 become the national champion of rural development."
He said the province has developed an approach and framework which has been adopted by the national government.
Van Rensburg said it is also not true that the Western Cape is not doing anything for farm workers nor addressing farm worker issues.
"The Western Cape Department of Agriculture is the only department in South Africa with a dedicated farm worker programme. The Western Cape Farm Worker Development Programme receives no financial support from the National Government," Van Rensburg said.
The Western Cape Farm Worker of the Year Competition is one such example.
"Deputy President Motlanthe has so far convened two dialogue sessions in the Western Cape, in Paarl in February 2013 and again in De Doorns in May this year," said Van Rensburg.
"These dialogue sessions have resulted in nothing more than hot air. No plans, no budgets, not even meeting notes. If these meetings did not take place, nothing would have been different."
He said this is in stark contrast to the Western Cape Government’s approach.
The Western Cape Government has developed a 12-point plan and a budget of R17.37m was approved for farm worker development issues.
The 12-point plan was officially announced at Deputy President Motlanthe second dialogue event in De Doorns in May. Joemat-Pettersson was the Chairperson of that meeting.
"Progress reports are available on all twelve interventions. The plan also includes the Future for Agriculture and Rural Economy (Fare) process," said Van Rensburg.
"This is an all-inclusive attempt to get role players in the Western Cape Province to describe the challenges, but to also find a future vision for agriculture in the province which would be acceptable to all."
He said it is worth mentioning that the ANC also supports this process, and Marius Fransman was at the launch in his capacity as Western Cape Leader of the ANC.
Regarding Joemat-Petterson's view of the non-political nature of the unrest, Van Rensburg asked why the unrest then only took place in the Western Cape.
"Are organisations, such as Bawsi also being funded by the National Department of Agriculture to mobilise people in strike activity in the rest of the country?" he asked.
"As provincial minister, I am asking the national minister not to destabilise the situation and to rise above political rhetoric. It is high time the national minister becomes the custodian of agriculture in South Africa."
- Fin24
