Welcoming remarks by KwaZulu-Natal Agriculture and Environmental Affairs MEC honourable Mtholephi Mthimkhulu at the Zululand Land and Agrarian Indaba Cecil Emmet Hall, Vryheid

Programme Director
Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs, Ms Lulama Xingwana
Colleagues in the Provincial Executive Council
Chairperson of the Zululand House of Traditional Leaders, uMntwana wakwaPhindangene
Honoured AmaKhosi present
Honourable Members of the Provincial Legislature present
His Worship, the Mayor of Abaqulusi Municipality, Councillor M Dlamini
Councillors present:
Acting Director-General for Land Affairs Department, Mr Thozi Gwanya
Deputy Director-General for Land and Tenure Reform, Mr Mduduzi Shabane
Acting Head of the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs Mr Harry Strauss
Senior Management from the Departments of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs as well as Land Affairs
Representatives from non-governmental organisations present
Representatives from community-based organisation present
Representatives from organised agriculture
Representatives from other government departments present
Invited guests
Members of the media present
Ladies and gentlemen

Programme Director, my brief is very simple and that is to welcome all the delegates to the two-day Land and Agrarian Indaba. We are gathered this morning as different stakeholders in the land and agrarian sectors with the sole intent of deliberating on the challenges that pose a threat to the stability to these sectors.

Programme Director, the genesis of this two-day Indaba could be traced back to incidents of the past as well as on-going incidents affecting social stability, provision of basic services and infrastructure for people working and/or living on commercial farms in the District. This particular district has been a witness to numerous incidents affecting both farm hands, farm dwellers, tenants and farmers.

These incidents range from well-documented atrocities perpetrated on farm workers, and children by certain farmers to the equally heinous criminal acts that have been perpetrated on some farmers during the last couple of years. In addition to this, we have seen an increasing escalation of hostilities between land rights advocacy groups and some farmers in this area. One example that comes to mind is that of the recent protest march on the Uitvaal Farm by a group of protesters where I am reliably informed there is a gazetted labour tenancy claim.

Programme Director, representations have been made to my office about the perceived biased nature of the criminal justice system in this part of our Province particularly in Vryheid and Pongolo. Whilst we are in unison in that everybody is equal before the law and that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land, for many farm workers and their children in this district such assertions remain just a mirage given their daily experiences when dealing with the organs of state charged with dispensing justice in an equal and fair manner.

Therefore, as we deliberate over the various issues during the two days of the Indaba, we should be mindful that we have an added responsibility as government to inculcate in those charged with the administration of justice in this area starting with the police, our courts that the rule of law starts with the realisation that all people are equal before the law.

We as the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs we have identified several objectives for the Agricultural sector in this District. These include the acceleration of land reform support, identifying and developing opportunities for local and international markets. We have also support land care and alien weed control programmes as well as agricultural processing development. We strongly believe that the above programmes will go a long way to enhance the economic performance of the agricultural sector in the district.

Programme Director, as government we are of the opinion that the two-day deliberations will bear fruitful outcomes that will be able to map a way forward thus ensuring that the agricultural sector in this District continues to play its historic critical role of providing food security and employment. With those short remarks, I wish you all the success during the deliberations over the next two days.

I thank you!