Weekly neWs Wrap Department of Agriculture Budget
14 farmer’sweekly 2 August 2019
The Department of Agriculture,
Rural Development and Land Reform
has made it clear that changes to
Section 25 of the Constitution to
allow for broader implementation
of land expropriation without
compensation will go ahead whether
those opposed to it liked it or not.
This was the message from Mcebisi
Skwatsha, Deputy Minister of the
department, during the debate
on the department’s budget vote
address, delivered by agriculture
Minister Thoko Didiza.
Skwatsha reassured opposition
MPs that South Africa would
not collapse if Article 25 of the
Constitution were amended.“The legislative wheels of the
vehicle are in motion to change
Section 25 of the Constitution.
Those who always beat the drums
of doom will be disappointed
that the sky will not fall when the
legislation is finally changed.”
He said that expropriation would
be undertaken in an orderly fashion,
guided by the Constitution.
“Land grabs are also not
regarded by the ANC as any part of
redistributing land. We regard it as
chaos that cannot be tolerated.”
The EFF rejected the budget.
According to EFF MP Patrick Sindane,
South Africa’s agriculture sector was
“like a cartel” and required a boldstate to transform the industry.
“The basis of this transformation
must entail the radical and swift
expropriation of land without
compensation. Until now, the
department has failed to show
vision and leadership regarding
the land issues, and we therefore
reject this budget,” he said.
Annette Steyn, DA MP and portfolio
committee member for agriculture,
rural development and land reform,
said the party supported land
reform, but added that the devil was
in the detail. “We’re all aware that
we’re sitting on a time bomb and
the land issue must be resolved,”
Steyn said – Jeandré van der WaltAgriculture department calms fears about land expropriation
The Agricultural Research
Council (ARC) is expected
to spend about R400 million
over the next three years to
establish a foot-and-mouth
disease (FMD) research facility.
This was one of the budget
allocations mentioned by Minister
of Agriculture, Land Reform
and Rural Development Thoko
Didiza as she tabled the first
budget of her new department
in Parliament recently.
Didiza said that agricultural
research remained important
in supporting the work done
in the sector. She added that
institutions and systems for
service delivery had to be
strengthened, and emphasised
the need for ethical conduct.
Commenting on the ARC, she
highlighted its role in fulfilling
the department’s Programme 2,
which was aimed at managing
risks in plant and animal health.
The ARC would be
commencing with the FMD
diagnostic facility soon, she said.
“This [FMD research] facility
is expected to improve the
country’s vaccine research
capacity and biosecurity against
the disease, and ultimately
improve the red meat industry,
and increase employment in
the sector,” the budget stated.
Didiza said biosecurity research
would also assist with broader
planning for the new direction
the department was taking.
“Agricultural production
linked to market access will
enable us to make contributions
to the economy as expected.
The opening up of markets in
countries such as China for beef
and fruit is just one example
of the growth opportunities
that we can maximise.”Didiza said that in order to
sustain South Africa’s livestock
biosecurity, the department
would ensure it recruited
veterinary doctors and
animal health specialists.
“We’ll also work with provinces
to ensure that dipping services
and other veterinary services
are undertaken at scale.”ARC to get R400-million foot-and-mouth disease research facility
Didiza’s first budget address had
to bring together the separate
budgets for the two former
departments that were recently
combined to form the new
ministry. This comprised budget
votes 24 (agriculture) and 39 (land
reform and rural development).
Budget vote 24 also stated
that R456 million had been
allocated in the medium term
for the deployment of 150 newly
qualified veterinarians per
year as part of the compulsory
community service programme.
Total expenditure for the ARC
for the 2019/2020 financial year
was meanwhile estimated at
nearly R1,48 billion, up from
a revised estimate of about
R1,42 billion for 2018/2019.
“The council’s total
projected expenditure over the
medium term [2019 to 2022] is
R4,7 billion,” the budget stated.
It added that transfers from
the former Department of
Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries, and the Department
of Science and Technology,
would account for about
R3,4 billion, or nearly 68% of
the ARC’s total revenue over
this period. – Sabrina Dean‘AgriculturAl
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