+ 27 53 832 9595
Agri SA Droogtehulp 2021

Agri SA Droogtehulp 2021

Sommige gebiede in Suid-Afrika is op hulle knieë as gevolg van die verwoestende, voortslepende droogte.

Hierdie gebiede is hoofsaaklik in die Noord-Kaap, Wes-Kaap en die Oos-Kaap.

Agri SA se droogtehulppogings speel ‘n belangrike rol om boere en plaaswerkers in hierdie moeilike tyd by te staan.

Vandag doen Agri SA ‘n spesiale beroep op die private sektor om by te dra tot Agri SA se Droogtehulpfonds om weer boere in droogtegeteisterde gebiede te ondersteun.

Agri SA submits commentary on Expropriation Bill Annelize Crosby | Agri SA

Agri SA submits commentary on Expropriation Bill Annelize Crosby | Agri SA

Agri SA submitted its commentary on the Expropriation Bill electronically to the Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure on 22 February 2021, says Annelize Crosby, head of the organisation’s Land Affairs. This was mandated by all the organisation’s affiliates.

Agri SA had commissioned two studies in support of its commentary, namely a study on the economic impact of an approach of zero compensation or minimal compensation, as well as a study on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the agricultural sector. “Agri SA also sought legal advice on the matter, which was used in compiling the written submission.”

Briefly, Agri SA’s submission entails the following highlights:

  • Agri SA represents the largest group of rural landowners and wishes to ensure a sustainable, viable sector.
  • The farmers of today cannot alone be held liable for historic events and cannot be expected to carry the burden of Apartheid-era dispossessions.
  • Agri SA remains firm in its support for free-market principles.
  • Landowners whose land is expropriated should always have the right to approach the courts.
  • Reference is made to the study on the potential economic impact of zero compensation or minimal compensation, specifically the impact on capital formation, as well as the study on the impact of the pandemic on the agricultural sector.
  • An international perspective is provided, namely that the constitutions of most countries require that compensation be paid. Reference is made to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation’s study on best practice for compulsory acquisition of property.
  • The lessons learnt from Zimbabwe and Venezuela are shared to illustrate the disastrous effect that their land policies had on the respective economies.
  • The implications in terms of the potential loss of tax income for the government, as well as the potential negative impact on food security, are also highlighted.
  • Commentary is provided on specific definitions and clauses, such as the definition of ‘expropriation’ and ‘public interest’ and the zero-compensation clauses.
  • Agri SA believes strongly that landowners should immediately receive adequate and effective compensation, which will enable them to start again elsewhere, and that they should not be worse off as a result of expropriation.

Enquiries
Annelize Crosby
Agri SA Head: Land Affairs
C. +27 82 388 0017

Agri SA eis ‘n onmiddellike herroeping van die Noord-Kaapse “onteieningslys”

Agri SA eis ‘n onmiddellike herroeping van die Noord-Kaapse “onteieningslys”

Agri SA eis ’n onmiddellike herroeping van die ANC Noord-Kaap se onteieningslys. Agri SA sal sy lede in die Noord-Kaap verdedig, nes ons in die Melmoth-saak in Kwa-Zulu Natal gedoen het. President Cyril Ramaphosa en top amptenare van die ANC het by herhaling die versekering gegee dat produktiewe plase nie vir onteiening sonder vergoeding (OSV) geteiken sal word nie. Agri SA het dit duidelik gestel dat dit enige wysiging van artikel 25 van die Grondwet teenstaan.

“Ons veroordeel die optrede deur die ANC in die Noord-Kaap ten sterkste en sal die saak met erns hanteer,” sê Omri van Zyl, Agri SA Uitvoerende Direkteur. “Ons verwag onverantwoordelike stellings in die aanloop tot die verkiesing, maar dié stellings het slegs ten doel om goedkoop politieke punte in te palm.”

Agri SA sal die diplomatieke gemeenskap betrek oor die ANC se ommekeer oor hul verklaarde posisie dat hulle nie produktiewe landbougrond sal teiken nie. Agri SA vergader vandag met die Trump-regering se Adjunk-minister van Buitelandse Sake van die V.S.A., John J. Sullivan en sal OSV en die Noord-Kaapse lys bespreek.

“Agri SA vergader met die regering, die ANC en alle ander organisasies met die verstandhouding dat elkeen die regsprosesse en die oppergesag van die reg sal respekteer,” sê Dan Kriek, Agri SA President. “Ons beskou die jongste uitspraak van die Noord-Kaapse ANC in stryd met hierdie beginsels. Ons het ‘n beroep op die nasionale leierskap van die ANC gedoen om in te gryp. Ons sal nie huiwer om te litigeer ten einde private eiendomsregte te beskerm nie, wat ons as absoluut krities beskou om broodnodige ekonomiese groei in Suid-Afrika te verseker.”

Agri SA hoop die ANC in die Noord-Kaap sal tot hul sinne kom en aan die eis wat ons gestel het voldoen. Indien nie, sal Agri SA die regsroete neem.

Navrae:
Omri van Zyl
Agri SA Uitvoerende Direkteur
S. 082 417 5724

Dan Kriek
Agri SA President
S. 082 944 0566

Annelize Crosby
Agri SA Beleidshoof: Grond
S. 082 388 0017

Mediaverklaring: Agri SA beloof om eiendomsreg te beskerm tot in die hoogste hof Gedeel via www.agrisa.co.za

Mediaverklaring: Agri SA beloof om eiendomsreg te beskerm tot in die hoogste hof Gedeel via www.agrisa.co.za

Agri SA neem kennis van die verklaring van die ANC dat 139 plase vir onteiening sonder vergoeding geteiken gaan word. Die ANC het vantevore te kenne gegee dat hulle die grense van artikel 25 met betrekking tot die betaling van vergoeding in die howe wil toets.

“Agri SA sal hierdie situasie fyn dophou en sal by toetssake waar beginsels oor vergoeding uitgeklaar sal word, betrokke raak,” sê Dan Kriek, President van Agri SA. “Agri SA het in die verlede reeds by sodanige sake betrokke geraak en sal nie huiwer om dit weer te doen nie. Dit is die howe se taak is om wetgewing en die Grondwet te interpreteer.”

Dit is vir Agri SA ‘n prioriteit om meer duidelikheid te kry oor welke plase geteiken sal word. Die beginsel van vergoeding by onteiening word internasionaal erken, hoewel daar verskillende standaarde vir vergoeding bestaan. Internasionaal word onteiening sonder vergoeding slegs in baie beperkte omstandighede toegelaat.

“Dit sou uiters onbillik en onaanvaarbaar wees om landbouers wat grond produktief gebruik om die mense van Suid-Afrika te voed, te teiken en te ontneem van hulle eiendom sonder om hulle daarvoor te vergoed” sê Kriek.

Agri SA is gereed om die beginsels van billikheid en die beskerming van die regte van die individu te verdedig tot in die Konstitusionele hof.

Navrae:
Dan Kriek
Agri SA, President
S: 082 944 0566

Annelize Crosby
Agri SA, Sentrum van Uitnemendheid: Grond
S: 082 388 0017

Rural safety enjoys high-level attention Politics Web

Rural safety enjoys high-level attention Politics Web

Agri SA’s Rural Safety Committee yesterday met with a high-level police delegation and other representatives of the country’s security forces for in-depth discussions and planning regarding various rural safety aspects that threaten the security of the farming community.  “We appreciate the police’s involvement and the seriousness with which they regard the agricultural community’s safety”, said Agri SA President, Johannes Möller.

Agri Noord Kaap - Farm murdersThe unacceptable situation regarding farm attacks and murders, which have serious consequence for the farming community, received specific attention. The committee warned that farm attack and murder statistics should be used cautiously so as to not stir up emotions unnecessarily.  

“The incorrect use of statistics leads to restlessness within the agricultural community.  An analysis of recent farm murder statistics reported in the media shows that some of these murders, according to definition of a farm attack, are not farm murders.  The incidence of recent farm murder speaks volumes about the sustained criminal onslaught on farmers, farm workers and their families, which is clearly not conducive for food security in South Africa and the stability of rural areas”, said Möller.
Agri Northern Cape