Date: 13/04/2010
Source: Freedom Front Plus
Title: FFPLus: Groenewald: Speech by FFPlus Member of Parliament on the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries budget, National Assembly

Mr. Chairperson,

The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries attended the funeral of Mr. Eugene Terre'Blanche. I accept that it was symbolic to state that she was opposed to farm murders. It is correct and it should be like this. The biggest responsibility of the Minister is however to establish food security in South Africa. There are however a number of problems which the Minister will have to overcome in order to fulfil that responsibility.

These problems are however not problems being caused by farmers, but her colleagues in the ANC. The first is the Youth Leader in the ANC, Julius Malema and apart from the fact that his arrogance exceeds his intelligence, he propagates and spreads hate speech. I did not hear at all that the Minister addressed him or repudiated him. That is a mistake. The second is her colleague, the Minister of Land Reform who in his budget debate in Parliament said that farmers did not have to be worried about private property. It is being acknowledged with certain restrictions, but he does not say what these restrictions might be. A few days later the same Minister says that the promises which were made during the freedom struggle, i.e. that land will be nationalized, is also his personal view. It creates confusion and uncertainty with farmers and the Minister can not be trusted. This uncertainty threatens food security because farmers are not sure whether they should continue farming.

The third is the Minister of Trade and Industry, who can not reach finality about tariffs for the import of wheat. The Minister said in her speech that bread should be provided at cost price to consumers. The reality is who will produce the food if there are no profits to be made, but the worst is that if the Minister do not addresses her colleague about these tariffs there will be no wheat to bake bread with. The farmers have to start planting now but they do not know whether it would be worth their while to plant wheat as the tariff is not known yet.

Last year with the first budget, I said to the Minister that she could perhaps be the rain queen for farmers. She started very well but unfortunately I now have to say that it appears as if the thunder is starting to appear. I want to say to her that farmers do not need thunder and hail as it will destroy the crops. They need soft rain which will allow crops to flourish. This is what the Minister has to do to establish food security.