•••• MAIN AR TICLE
Nation in Conversation’s message
continues to spread far and wide
SOUTH AFRICA’S MOST TALKED ABOUT AGRI-TALK
SHOW, NATION IN CONVERSATION, CELEBRATED ITS
FIFTH YEAR OF EXISTENCE DURING ITS REGULAR
ANNUAL RECORDING AT THE NAMPO HARVEST DAY IN
BOTHAVILLE FROM 16-19 MAY THIS YEAR.
MARLON ABRAHAMS
T
he show has grown in
stature and reputation
of bringing the sector’s leading
stakeholders and role-players to
the conversation table on issues
ranging from Women and Youth
in Agriculture, to Land Grabs
without Compensation.
The Nation in Conversation
social media platforms recorded
record interactions with over
300 000 impressions over the
four days, while organisers of
the Nampo Harvest Day are
expected to announced improved
visits from the record number
of 75 000 people who attended
last year’s event. This, coupled
with exposure on platforms
like Talk Radio 702/Cape Talk,
RSG, Landbouweekblad and live
streaming on News24, together
with the ongoing exposure of the
series on kykNET, Sowetan TV
and Business Day TV, have led to
Nation in Conversation being the
undisputed agri-talkshow foremost
on the nation’s mind.
This year’s broadcast from
Nampo can be characterised as
being uncompromisingly frank,
with all parties in agreement that
the time for action has come.
Comments like “we cannot wait
for government, we have to do it
4
ourselves,” epitomised the spirit of
this year’s series.
During the media launch on
15 May, a panel hosted by Carte
Blanche’s Derek Watts, which
included DG of DAFF Mike
Mlengana, Land Bank CEO
TP Nchocho, Roelf Meyer – In
Transformation Initiative, 702/
Cape Talk’s Stephen Grootes and
Milaan Thalwitzer of the Bosveld
Group heard the DG admit that
government has failed in its imple
mentation of land restitution, but
that there was a renewed under
standing of what was involved and
what was needed to make it hap
pen, as well as a new commitment
to the process.
Discussions during the course
of the week were marked by pas
sion and sincerity with stakehold
ers like Senwes’ Francois Strydom
making the point that if business
sticks to the principles of business,
black empowerment becomes part
of the business plan. And Afgri
CEO Chris Venter saying that he
has never met a farmer who does
not want to assist.
Commercial farmer Herbert
Mabuza, former editor of the
Sunday Times, spoke about his
foray into farming and how he
was inspired by a white farmer
who refused to sell him his farm
unless he learned how to farm.
While in the insert on Women in
JUN/JUL 2017 • SENWES Scenario
Agriculture, Gloria Serobe, CEO
of Wipcapital and founder of
Wiphold, SA’s first BEE company
to establish a permanent, broad-
based shareholdin