“We need to protect farmers and farmworkers. If we are to succeed in this, we must embrace transformation and we must do it willing,” said Zokwana.
He appealed to all parties to work together to create a better South Africa.
Annette Steyn, shadow minister of agriculture for the DA, said that farm attacks needed to be classified as a priority crime so that more resources could be allocated to Rural Safety Units.
She added that the South African Police Service was under-resourced, and that the Rural Safety Strategy was not being properly implemented.
“South African farmers are recognised as part of the best in the world and are ensuring food security under extremely difficult circumstances,” she explained.
Steyn also expressed the DA’s concern about outrageous political statements that impeded investment into the sector.
Freedom Front Plus MP, Dr Pieter Mulder, reiterated Steyn’s views, and said that it was in the best interest of all the people of South Africa that agricultural decisions made were based on facts.
“At the moment, most agricultural decisions are taken in reaction to political propaganda statements and myths. Decisions are taken on politically created perceptions and one-sided stereotypes,” he said.
