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Land reform in the Northern Cape is not succeeding because the ANC government is withholding transformation amongst emerging farmers.

Commonage land in the Siyathemba municipal area, meant to benefit emerging farmers, epitomises this stark government failure.

Over the past ten years, the farm has not produced a single crop. Farming equipment to the value of approximately R20 million has also been gathering dust for more than 10 years, currently preventing more than 25 emerging farmers from benefitting from its use.

I have personally seen the equipment, which includes everything from irrigation sprayers to a floating pump station on the river, piping, a harvester and much more, which is stored in a big shed. See pics here, here, here, here and here.

Emerging farmers in the area struggle on their own to get access to farmland and battle high production costs and transport challenges. In the meantime, the land stands fallow and the machinery stagnates instead of expanding food production and generating income for those who work the land.

The same lack of agricultural support and intergovernmental relations is seen across the province.

In Dawid Kruiper, an emerging farmer who was awarded an upcoming farmer achievement award many years ago, still waits to receive a farming contract, let alone a title deed for farmland.

The above is a clear indication that there remains no desire by provincial government to ensure true redress and transformation in the province’s agricultural sector.

The DA is appealing to the MEC of Agriculture to immediately address these failures, starting with making the R20 million worth of equipment available to emerging farmers. As the custodian of land reform, the department must keep all spheres of government accountable for the provision of machinery and support to farmers, by way of regular monitoring and updated asset registers.

I will include the Premier in my correspondence, so that he can also act against the lack of transformation that has become synonymous with the Northern Cape government’s legacy.

Issued by Reinette Liebenberg, MPL - DA Northern Cape Provincial Spokesperson on Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform