Having had quite enough of the constant stream of criticism from fed-up farmers about the various failures of land reform, minister of rural development and land reform Gugile Nkwinti has taken offence and turned into the soon to be ex-boyfriend of commercial farming by uttering the universal break-up line, “it is me, not you!”
Defending his lack of faith in the willing buyer, willing seller model of land reform, Nkwinti explained that the state is, as a matter of fact, not willing. He says it’s a ‘compelled buyer’, and a somewhat desperate one at that (my words not his), and this opens the government up to all kinds of exploitation.
So far the minister has offered no alternative other than to drop the E-bomb (expropriation) every once in a while. The good news is that Nkwinti is still on speaking terms with Agri SA and the like, having included organised agriculture in the discussions about the Green Paper on Land Reform.
Meanwhile the official, albeit somewhat annoying at times, opposition, the DA, has decided to aim a few punches at the minister by parroting what commercial farmers have been saying for years – that it is not a problem of willingness, but one of ability.
Athol Trollip, DA spokesperson for land reform, presented a word heavy speech in parliament during the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform’s budget vote debate, accusing the officials of this department of ineptitude, carelessness, lack of Batho Pele, lack of professionalism, integrity and blatant dishonesty (his words not mine).
Theo de Jager, the deputy president of Agri SA, who proved his commitment to the cause by sitting through the four hour long budget vote debate, agreed with Trollip’s sentiments about the inadequacies of some departmental officials. But De Jager also hinted at an even more troubling state of affairs – the minister’s apparent ignorance about the full extent of these inadequacies and the depth of the restitution crisis.
Change what must be changed Minister Nkwinti, but beware the blame game.
