Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Land Reform Sdumo Dlamini
Honourable Speaker
Honourable Minister Didiza
All Ministers and Deputy Ministers present
Honourable Members of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
Honourable Members of the House
Esteemed Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Today as we present this budget , we want to pay tribute to all the families who have lost their loved ones as a result of COVID -19 and we also want to salute health workers and people living in rural communities who had to face and fight the Corona Virus under conditions in which there were fewer health resources.
It has been inspiring to observe how despite these challenges, some rural communities have worked in partnership with government, private sector, non-governmental organisations and traditional leaders to spread the correct healthcare related messages in relation to this pandemic.
This is what rural development should be about. Rural Development is a sustained multi-sectoral participatory process aimed at empowering those residing in the former homeland areas, in farming areas, in defined rural spaces within urban areas and metros, in peri-urban areas, in small rural towns and in villages .