BY
Hon. P.N Msimango, MPL,
KZN Legislature, Virtual Sitting
20 MAY 2021
Honourable Speaker,
Ngaphambi kokuba ngingene odabeni lwesabelo zimali esihlangene ngaso namhlanje ukudlula odabeni oluthinta umhlaba. Uma sikhuluma ngodaba lwezolimo sonke siyazi ukuthi lweyame odabeni lomhlaba. Ngakho-ke iQembu leNkatha lifisa ukunxusa uhulumeni oholwa iqembu elibusayo ukuthi njengoba bebedabukile ngesikhathi kukhotheme iSilo sicela bafakazele ukudabuka kwabo ngokuthi baphikisane nokuhlakazwa kweNgonyama Trust. Ukuvumela ukuthi umhlaba weNgonyama uthathwe kufana ncimishi nokuhlinzela ezibini iSilo esesikhotheme. Silindele ukubona uMhlonishwa uNdunankulu ephumela obala ephikisana nokuthathwa komhlaba weNgonyama.
2021/22 BUDGET OUTLOOK
IQembu leNkatha liyaseseka isabelo zimali soMnyango Wezolimo kanye Nokuthuthukiswa Kwezindawo Zasemakhaya sika R2.5 Billion esabelwe unyaka we zimali ka 2021/22.
Nakuba iQembu leNkatha liseseka isabelo-zimali sakulonyaka kodwa lifisa ukuzwakalisa ukukhathazeka ngesabelo zimali esincane esinikwa loMnyango ekubeni lomnyango ubhekene nomsebenzi omkhulu wokuxosha indlala kubantu ngokuthi kugxilwe kakhulu ekulimeni. Kodwake okufike kudumaze kakhulu ukuthi nakuba isabelo somnyango sisincane kuba nenkinga yokuthi umnyango uyehluleka ukusebenzisa ngendlela efanele kwayona lemali encane osuke wabelwe yona. Ngikusho lokho ngoba ngesikhathi iKomidi elibhekele ukusebenza kwezimali (SCOPA) lidingida  kabanzi ngombiko kamncwaningi mabhuku wonyaka zimali ka-2019/20 walomnyango weZolimo kwahlaluka ukuthi uMnyango uhlulekile ukusebenzisa imali engango R47 million eyabelwe uhlelo lwe-CASP eyagcina ngokuthi ibuyiselwa emuva kumgcinimafa. Lomnyango awuqali ukungasebenzisi yonke imali yaloluhlelo kubalimi. Yonke iminyaka wenza into efanayo. Kamanje umgcinimafa uyehlisile imali yama Conditional Grants njengoba uhlelo lwe-CASP lwehliswe ngoR5. 6 million kanjalo nohlelo olwaziwa nge Ilima/Letsema Projects lwehliswe ngo R8. 1 million kulonyaka ngoba loMnyango uhluleka ukusebenzisa lezimali osuke wabelwe zona.
The question is how many struggling farmers could have benefited from these millions? Emerging farmers who need support from conditional grants are not getting support yet millions of rands lie untouched. Ukwehluleka komnyango ukusebenzasa imali osuke wabelwe yona ukuthi isize umphakathi akulona iphutha kodwa unya olukhombisa ngokusobala ukuthi lomnyango awubakhathelele futhi awubagqizi qakala abalimi bakithi abadinga usizo lwalomnyango. Kuyihlazo ukuthi umgcinimafa aze ahlephule izimali zama-Conditional Grant ngoba lomnyango ugoloza ukuyisebenzisa yonke.
Akugcinanga lapho umnyango uphinde wasebenzisa budedengu imali engango R26.7 million onyakeni zimali ka-2019/20. Nalapha futhi akulona iphutha into eyenziwa ngamabomu ngoba umuntu usuke ebona futhi azi kahle kamhlophe ukuthi lokhu akwenzayo akulungile kuwubudedengu obuhluphekisa abantu bakithi. Icala elinjalo alithetheleleki.
Iphinde isikhathaze indaba yokubona ukuthi lomnyango uchitha izimali zabakhokhintela uhlelela abasebenzi izindawo zokulala emaHhotela kodwa bengafiki. Siyanxusa ukuthi uMnyango wenze isiqiniseko ukuthi abasebenzi abangafiki emaHhotela uma bekhokhelwe bayayikhokha leyomali ibuyele emnyangweni.
Njengoba sethulwa ngokusemthethweni isabelo zimali namhlanje iqembu leNkatha lilindele lokhu okulandelayo ngaso:
- Ukuthi zonke izimali ezethuliwe ngaphansi kwezinhlelo ezahlukene azisetshenziswe ngendlela efanele.
- Ukubongela uMnyango ngokuthola umbiko kaMcwaningi mabhuku omuhle emveni kwesikhathi eside lomnyango uhluleka ukuwuthola ngezizathu eziningi zokusetshenziswa kwezimali budlabha nokungalandeli imthetho yezezimali ebekiwe. Silindele ukuthi umnyango uqhubeke nokukhuphula amasokisi ukuze uthole umbiko omuhle ongenagcobho kulonyaka zimali.
- Abasebenzi abahlulekayo ukwenza umsebenzi wabo ngendlela kufanele bathathelwe izinyathelo. Umncwaningi mabhuku uyaqhubeka ngokukhala kokuhluleka komnyango ukubanika izitatimende zezimali ezinobufakazi bokusentshenziswa kwezimali ngokulandela umthetho.
- Izinsiza kusebenza zokulima kanye nezimbewu akuthunyelwe kubantu ngesikhathi esifanele ukuze bangaqali ukulima sekwedlule isikhathi sokutshala.
- UMnyango awuqinisekise ukuthi labo abaphenywayo ngokwephula umthetho noma benza ubugebengu ababaleki futhi  bayathathelwa izinyathelo ezinqala futhi nezimali ziqoqwe zibuyele emnyangweni.
- Akuphele ukungasetshenziswa kwezimali yomnyango ngokuphelele ikakhulukazi ama – Conditional Grant. Abahlulekayo ukukwenza lokhu bathathelwe izinyathelo. Yonke imali yomnyango ayisetshenziswe ngokugcwele isize ukuthuthukisa abalimi ikakhulukazi abasafufusa ezindabeni zasemakhaya.
The IFP further notes that the Department plans to launch projects with the total investment of R132 million by the end of 2021/22 and this is commendable. Many rural small farmers want to form co-operatives, but they lack the expertise. Our government must develop turn-key solutions for emerging co-operatives, from the process of registration to the application for state funding, until the first two or three harvests have been successfully completed. Uma esethuliwe ama-projekthi emphakathini umnyango awuqinise kakhulu ohlelweni lokubheka ukuthi ngabe ayasimama yini noma ayafadalala. Kubalwa nawo amapulazi abuyiselwa kubantu kufanele abhekwe ukuthi asakhiqiza yini noma asaphenduka amafusi angasalinywa. Lokhu kuzosiza ekutheni kubonakale ukuthi imali esuke ikhishwe umnyango ayemuki nomfula. Abantu abaphinde baxhunyaniswe nezimakethe ukuze bezokwazi ukudayisa imikhiqizo yabo.
AGRI-BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (ADA)
Okunye esikunxusayo ukuba loMnyango usebenzisane kakhudlwana neAgri-Business Development Agency ekunikezeleni ngezinsiza-kusebenza, uxhaso kanye nokuthuthukisa abalimi abasafufusa. Izinhlelo ze-ADA azihambe njalo ziyofika kuwowonke amakhona esifundazwe sethu. Aseneme nhlobo ngenani labantu i-ADA ekwazile ukubasiza kulonyaka esiphuma kuwo njengoba lilincane kakhulu njengoba limi kwi-16 kuphela ekubeni isifundazwe sinenqwaba yentsha efisayo ukuthola uxhaso ngezinsiza kusebenza ekuqaleni nasekuthuthukiseni amabhizinisi ayo ezolimo anhlobonhlobo.
Smallholder farmer’s contribution to the provincial and national economy appears not only to be unrecognized, but is also confronted with serious constraints including limited access to productive resources such as land, improved seed and planting materials, agro-chemicals, credit, labour, information, technology, sustainable farming practices, access to markets and strong farmer-based organizations, among other things.
Uma kuthuthukiswa abantu kwezolimo zonke izigaba zomphakathi kufanele zithuthukiswe kungabi khona ukukhetha iphela emasini. Umnyango awuqhubeke nokuthuthukisa abantu besifazane, intsha kanye nalabo abaphila nokukhubazeka. Sifuna ukubona senyuka isibalo samapulazi aphethwe abantu besifazane, intsha kanye nabaphila nokukhubazeka.
RATIONALISATION OF ENTITIES
Sikushayela izandla ukuzwa ukuthi uhlelo lokuhlanganiswa kwamabhizisi angaphansi kwalomnyango seluze lwaphothulwa njengoba uMjindi Farming usuhlanganiswe ne-ADA. Siyakuthokozela futhi nokuthi iNtingwe Tea isizosebenzisana nayo i-ADA.
STOCK THEFT
Stock theft in KwaZulu-Natal is a major problem that is hampering the prosperity of farmers in the province and affects economy. iQembu leNkatha linxusa uhulumeni ukuthi akayibhekise kabanzi indaba yokuntshontshwa kwemfuyo okungalimazi abalimi kuphela kodwa nomphakathi imbala. Akwenziwe ucwaningo lwawowonke amabhusha kanye noshisanyama ukuthi ngabe inyama abayidayisayo bayithola kuphi bese beveza ubufakazi kanye nalabo abadayisa inyama ezimpeshenini. Akuphinde kuphenyisiswe ukuthi abukho yini ubudlelwane phakathi kwamaphoyisa kanye namasela antshontsha imfuyo ngoba ziningi izikhalo zokuthi amanye amaphoyisa uma ebikelwa ngokuntshontshwa kwemfuyo ahudula izinyawo. Abantu abantshontsha imfuyo abajeziswe kanzima ngoba baqhubezela phambili ububha futhi bakhinyabeza umkhakha wezokukhiqizwa kwenyama.
FARM ATTACKS
Siyiqembu leNkatha kuyasikhathaza ukuthi iKwaZulu-Natal ihamba phambili ngezigameko zokubulawa nokuhlaselwa kwabalimi. Ikomiti lethu lezolimo nokuThuthukiswa koMphakathi libikelwe ukuthi kwaba nezigameko ezingama-75 zokuhlaselwa kwabalimu ngonyaka ka-2020 kwabulawa abalimi abayi-15. Kwaba nezigameko zokuhlaselwa kwempahla okungama-41. Ukuzama ukubulawa kwabalimi kwaba i-6. Ziyasikhathaza lezigameko ngoba isibalo sababoshwayo bagwetshwa sincane njengoba beyishumi nantathu kuphela. Kuvele ukuthi lezigameko zenziwa izigilamkhuba esezijwayele ukugila lemkhuba futhi azinendaba nokuboshwa. Kuzo sekufana nomdlalo ukuyohlasela emapulazini.
Umnyango wezokuphepha awulusukumele lokudaba ulubeke eqhulwini ukuze izigilamkhuba zibone ukuthi umthetho uyasebenza. Lokhu asikuceli ngoba sithi abamapulazi babaluleke ukudlula wonke umuntu kodwa sisho ngoba kufanele nabo bavikelwe ukuze kunciphe lezigameko eziqedela abantu bakithi imisebenzi emapulazini uma abaqashi sebebulewe futhi baxoshwe uma ipulazi lingasakhiqizi.
Futhi lokhu ezikwenzayo lezigilamkhuba kuyafana nokumelana nemizamo yokuqisekisa ukukhiqizwa kokudla lapha esfundazweni. Ngamanye amazwi bandisa indlala ngokubulala abalimi ngesikhathi esibi lapho umnotho wezwe untengantenga namanani okudla ekhuphuke kakhulu ngokwedlulele.
FARM WORKERS MUST BE PROTECTED
Okunye okusikhathazayo njengeQembu leNkatha ukudungeka kobudlelwane phakathi kwabalimi kanye nabahlali basemapulazini. The IFP believes in social cohesion. Farm workers are not yet enjoying human rights. Their rights are violated every day. They are being evicted on the farms with their children, or high rental fares are demanded and are made to live in the most appalling conditions where they don’t have access to clean water or toilet or sanitation. Uhulumeni akaqinisekise ukuthi abanikazi bamapulazi babaphatha kahle abasebenzi basemapulazini ubavikele ekuphathisweni okwezilwane ngabamapulazi.
Siyazi ukuthi nabasebenzi bagcina beziphindiselela kubo abanikazi bamapulazi ingakho sithi azigxiliswe izinhlelo zokuhlanganisa imihlambi eyalanayo phakathi kwabalimi kanye nabahlali basemapulazini. iQembu leNkatha liyakholelwa ekutheni akube khona ubumbano kanye nokuthula phakathi kwabalimi kanye nabahlali basemapulazini.
CODIV19
Siyathokoza ukubona ukuthi lomnyango usugcine ukwazile ukusilalela  njengeQembu leNkatha ekutheni ufake uhlelo luka One-Home-One Garden ezindawnei zasemakhaya akekho ongabonanga ukuthi ubhubhane lweCovid-19 lufike lwabhebhethekisa kakhulu indlala. iNkatha kudala yayilushumayela loludaba, siyabonga uma sekuze kwabonakala ukuthi sasingasengi ezimithiyo. Ingcebo isenhlabathini uma abantu begxila emkhakheni wezolimo kuzoncipha indlala kanye nokufuduka kwabantu ezindaweni zasemakhaya beyofuna imisebenzi emadolobheni kanye nokwehla kwezinga lokuntuleka kwemisebenzi. We urge the Department to ensure that all projects which were delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic nationwide lockdown are implemented.
VACANT POSTS
We also note that the 2021/22 MTEF for Compensation of Employees baseline amounts to R29.152 million and the number of posts to be filled had to be reduced from 194 to 93 posts. Non-filling of vacant posts affects the performance of the Department. We implore the Hon MEC to appoint competent individuals in the department. The KZN department of Agriculture is in dire need of competent staff. We urge the Department to fast-track the process of filling these vacant posts.
Sengivala nje umnyango awuqinisekise ukusebenza kwabeluleki bezolimo ezindaweni zasemakhaya. Kufanele kube nohlelo olucacile lokulandelela ukusebenza kwabo ukuthi ngabe bayaphuma yini emahhovisi baye kubantu noma basebenza ngezingcingo behleli emahhovisi. Uma kukhona abeluleki abangawenzi ngendlela umsebenzi wabo abakhishwe kufakwe abanye abanothando lomkhakha wezolimo kanye nentshisekelo yokufundisa abantu bakithi ngezolimo.
I thank you!!
