NEWS
Summit paves the way
for the future
Emerging producers voice their opinions
The recent Landbouweekblad and Agri SA Land Summit held in Bela-Bela in August, real-
ly paved the way for discussion and for producers to tell their own unique stories. Julias
Ramohlabi, Senwes Manager: Emerging Producers, saw the opportunity to take 10 of his
emerging producers to this pioneering summit, where they formed part of 600 producers
and business people who listened to 65 speakers telling their agri-stories.
By Aubrey Kruger
Senwes Scenario Editor
R
amohlabi and his producers
Phillimon Mnenzhe, Herbert
Mabuza, Simon Teffo, Israel
Motlhabane, the Mabaso broth-
ers Bootman and President, Ngengwana
Marshall Tsokolo, Mokhele Pheello Isaac
and Anna Phosa attended the summit.
The only woman in this group used the
land summit to her full advantage. Anna
Phosa communicated with most of the
speakers and attendees and expanded
her network in the process.
“I even talked to the president of Agri
SA, Dan Kriek, and met other industry
leaders,” she said excitedly. The summit
opened her eyes to the fact that black
and white producers can work together to
solve land issues. “Something that used
to be too sensitive to even discuss,” she
said.
It made one think of the good rela-
tionship between Dr. Theo de Jager
(president of the World Agricultural
Organisation) and Whiskey Kgabo, a
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SENWES SCENARIO | SUMMER 2018
mango farmer near Tzaneen. Kgabo said:
“I was his mentor. I taught him how to
farm”, which is proof that producers have
been working together for years.
Many black farmers were of the opinion
that all producers should “take hands with
government and work together.” Israel
Motlhabane realised that he is “mechan-
ically somewhat behind the times”, par-
ticularly when he compares himself with
some of the bigger producers. Ramohlabi
indicated that it is here where government
should come on board to assist emerging
producers and that they can fulfil a role in
this regard.
Some people like Ralph Swart, an
Overberg producer, said: “My grandfather
farmed on 70 acres, my father on 110
morgen and today we farm on 2 440 hect-
ares.” More questions arose for Simon
Teffo who farms in Randfontein. “I would
like to know how these producers man-
aged to do it. I am busy training someone
at present - who will finance him?” He
would like to have the opportunity to ask
questions to get clarity on how other pro-
ducers managed to buy farms. His future
vision for the summit is that it should be
rolled out to other provinces as well to
make more people aware of it.
Ramohlabi is very positive about
the land summit and said: "I was very
impressed by the success stories from all
the provinces.” A number of good stories
were told. It was also good to see how the
commercial producers co-operate with
emerging producers through partnerships
or by means of shareholding. “It was
excellent in the sense that positive things
are happening everywhere in agriculture,
even in other provinces.” Something that
they are often not aware of.
It was an excellent summit, well attend-
ed by, inter alia, the vice-president David
Mabuza and many others who brought
some prestige to the summit. Mabuza
entered a plea for producers to trust gov-
ernment when it came to land reform.
Well done Landbouweekblad and Agri
SA, and thank you for the producers who
were brave enough to tell their stories. It
was trail-blazing work for the future and
indeed a turning point for the land debate
in South Africa.