Opinion

Oh my word, we South Africans are apparently a sad lot. Even sadder than Zimbabweans.

With Greece on the brink of ditching the euro and financial markets on the edge due to uncertainty, Jaco Visser looks at two possible scenarios that could play themselves out.

World class agriculture – that is what South Africa’s primary food producers are all about.

DA spokesperson for rural development and land reform, Athol Trollip’s response to minister Gugile Nkwinti’s budget speech for 2012/2013.

The days of the minister of Mineral Resources granting permission to mining companies to operate on farm land against farmers’ wishes seem to be over, thanks to the Constitutional Court’s landmark interpretation of two pieces of legislation. Jaco Visser looks at recent judgements.

Food security and job creation were highlighted in the department’s budget, with special attention given to capacity building. Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson details how R5,8 billion will be spent.

Well done Grain SA! Nampo 2012 was a resounding success. For the first time in years I experienced the geniality and warm-heartedness that so distinguished Nampo in the past.

Recent court cases dealing with water use licences to farmers were a slap in the face for the Department of Water Affairs. The courts held, in effect, that the department’s method of looking solely at a water use licence applicant’s race was wrong. Jaco Visser looked at the judgements.

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...

Our Constitution has been hailed everywhere as an example to all divided societies of what can be achieved by rational debate, compromise and goodwill, but now it seems as if the ANC wants to sweep all of this away, warns former state president FW de Klerk.

South Africa’s grant of R40 million to Cuban farmers for seed purchases is baffling when local farmers’ requests for subsidies have been denied. Lindi van Rooyen asks when the Cuban ‘struggle’ debt will finally be paid.

Let’s make no mistake – we’ve probably got the most beautiful minister of agriculture in the world. But Tina Joemat-Pettersson’s increasingly unpredictable behaviour is worrying.