The organisation said agriculture cannot assume government’s responsibility to handle social grants. “Agriculture is an economic and not a socialistic activity,” TAU SA said. It said Zuma’s idea of District Reform Committees created doubt. “To use production time for meetings, which will in essence be to the detriment of other landowners by identifying their land to be sold below market value, is unethical,” said TAU SA.
It said this could cause tension within communities as well as reduce food production. “To buy land from whomever at 50% of its market value, amounts to expropriation or even nationalisation,” the statement said. “Some properties were bequeathed from estates, which means widows and orphans will be affected,” TAU SA said. The organisation said the proposal that commercial farmers who will participate in this project will qualify for BEE status and that their properties will be safe amounts to extortion.
"Help us to identify and remove other farmers and you’re safe – farmers who may not have the ability to participate are thus running the risk to remain subject to erroneous legislation,” TAU SA said.
