The guest speaker at the Aldam Stockmans School gala dinner in the Free State, Van der Merwe pointed out some of the similarities between the relationships that existed between Namibian and South African commercial farmers and the governments in those countries.
He said that the political objectives of the political parties that held the majority power didn’t necessarily promote or ensure a healthy legislative environment for commercial farming to thrive in.
“In fact,” said Van der Merwe, “in some cases it might even create barriers for farmers to do business.”
The answer was not to fight, and certainly not to give up, but rather to invest time in cultivating a relationship with government that would help improve communication between the farming sector and legislators.
“It is not necessarily the strongest that will survive, but those who adapt the fastest to changing conditions,” said Van der Merwe.
“The question is not whether or not you like the new status quo, but rather what your strategy will be to adjust to it.”
Van der Merwe said his experience representing Namibia’s commercial farmers taught him that the best way to approach government was through “personal contact instead of public debate” and through “negotiations rather than conflict”.
