Issued by:Department of Land Affairs
SIMUNYE DAIRY PROJECT
On Sunday, 21 February 1999, the Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs: Derek Hanekom, will officially "break the ground" for the Simunye Dairy Project on the Farm Elandsfontein, in the Ennerdale area, in the District of Vereeniging. The land was made available to the Ennerdale Farmers Association through the Land Acquisition Grant of the Department of Land Affairs.
This project is mainly funded by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) and its Technology Transfer and Training Programme. DANIDA seeks to develop small and medium sized companies owned by members of the disadvantaged population groups through business cooperations with Danish companies. This is known as the Business to Business Programme. Through this programme the Ennerdale Farmer's Association has been linked with a technology partner, PT Industries, a Danish company specialising in the establishment of small scale dairies. With the support and assistance from this Company and DANIDA the Ennerdale Farmers's Association seeks to establish this dairy plant; that is, the Simunye Dairy Project, which will later be replicated in other regions through a franchise scheme (Africa Dairy Development).
Initially 75 families will benefit from this project, with an estimated 400 people participating when it is well established. The integral role of women in the proposed project was also identified. Twelve female headed households with their dependants are participating in the project and specific care will be taken to cater for the empowerment of women in training programmes and representation on management structures.
BACKGROUND
When the Group Areas Act was still firmly enforced by the Apartheid regime black farmers in the Ennerdale area were forced to occupy small farms and small holdings on state owned land, which was earmarked for so- called `non-white' residential development. The inception of the Gauteng Farmer Settlement Programme in 1996 brought new hope to this community. The Programme is a joint effort between the Gauteng Provincial Government through its Provincial Departments of Agriculture, Housing and Land Affairs, and the national Department of Land Affairs. Through this Programme aspirant emerging farmers could lease small Government owned farms for a period of three years during which time they had to engage in some kind of viable farming activity. They also had an option to purchase the leased farm, after the three year period, with the R16 000 land acquisition grant. This meant that for the first time these farmers had the prospecte of having access to land with some kind of tenure security.
The Ennerdale Farmers Co-operative will, on Sunday, acquire Portion 178 of the farm Elandsfontein in extent of 16,1212 hectares in the District of Vereeniging (Gauteng Province) for the development of the Simunye Dairy Project. This land will be used and developed to the benefit of all members and will be co-owned by all members in terms of equal sahres as per their equal contribution of the R16 000 Land Acquisition Grant (made available to the Association through the Land Redistribution Project of the Department of Land Affairs). These funds will be transferred by the Department of Land Affairs to the Land Bank in terms of a transfer agreement for the projects financial administration and disbursement to the Ennerdale Farmers Co-Operative.
This project will strive to provide members of the Ennerdale Farmers Co- operative with an opportunity to do dairy farming, thereby ensuring income generation and sustainable livlihoods. It will also establish a broadly based and wide reaching empowerment exercise in the dairy industry introducing previously disadvantaged farmers (at a later stage also in other regions) to the concept of professional farming practises and small scale dairies. The dairy would empower the broader Ennerdale community by creating "spin ofs" e.g. the supply of fodder and the processing of manure and it will lastly, support continuity in coordinating and integrated land reform, emerging farming activities and socio economic development.
LAND REFORM IS HAPPENING
Through government assistance, the Ennerdale Farmers co-operative was able to buy the land that they lived and worked on. This has not only improved their tenure status, but has given them a means of living.
The Department has also ensured taht through a network of contacts and partners including the South African Government, DANIDA, and other role players it will be possible for the Ennerdale Co-operative to not only create a sustainable future for themselves but to also empower their community through job creation, delivery of stable productes, and the rendering of agricultural training.
For more information, please contact:
Anton Janse van Rensburg: Principal Communication Officer
National Department of Land Affairs
Directorate: Communication Service
Tel: (012)312-9814 Cell: (083) 409 4124
Titus Mokono: Chief Planner, Department of Land Affairs Gauteng
Tel: (012) 310 6500 Cell: (083) 676 3646
Rajesh Jock: Deputy Director National Department of Land Affairs Directorate: Communication Services
Tel: (012) 312 8432 Cell: (083) 676 2073