Die Departement van Landbou, Grondhervorming en Landelike Ontwikkeling het op 6 April 2020 ’n beroep vir aansoeke gedoen met betrekking tot ’n COVID-19-landbourampondersteuningsfonds (CADS-fonds).
Die Departement het genoem dat R1,2 miljard beskikbaar gestel word om kleinskaal- en gemeenskapsboere wat finansiële nood ervaar, te ondersteun. Die aansoeke het op 8 April 2020 geopen en op 22 April 2020 gesluit.
Op 17 Mei 2020 het Minister Thoko Didiza die uitslag van die aansoekproses rondom die CADS-fonds aangekondig. Sy het gesê dat 15 036 aansoeke ter waarde van net meer as R500 miljoen goedgekeur is. Sy het verder gesê dat alle aansoeke in die week van 17 Mei 2020 gefinaliseer sal word en dat die uitreiking van kwitansies na provinsies op 18 Mei 2020 sal begin.
Sedert die datum van die uitreiking van die mediaverklaring is Saai deur verskeie familieboere ingelig dat hulle bevestiging van ontvangs gekry het, maar dat hulle aansoeke afgekeur is sonder dat enige redes verskaf is, terwyl ander laat weet het dat hulle geen terugvoer van die Departement ontvang het rakende die goedkeuring/afkeuring van hulle aansoeke nie (ten spyte daarvan dat prosesse rondom die beroep vir aansoeke reeds gefinaliseer is).
“Saai se lede wat aansoek gedoen het sluit in boere van die Proaktiewe Grondverkrygingstrategie (PLAS), gestremde boere, gemeenskapsboere en kleinskaalboere van alle ouderdomme, rasse en geslagte, en almal is afgekeur,” sê Francois Rossouw, uitvoerende hoof van Saai.
In die lig van bogenoemde het Saai sy regspan opdrag gegee om die Departement te versoek om skriftelike bevestiging te verskaf of alle prosesse inderdaad gefinaliseer is en, as dit nie die geval is nie, te bevestig teen wanneer sulke prosesse gefinaliseer sal wees. Saai het die Departement ook versoek om alle applikante in te lig of hulle aansoeke aanvaar is of nie en, indien hulle aansoeke afgekeur is, bevredigende redes aan dié onsuksesvolle applikante te verskaf.
“Indien die Departement versuim om aan bogenoemde versoeke gehoor te gee, sal Saai voortgaan met verdere aksie om te verseker dat bevredigende redes aan alle applikante verskaf word,” voeg Rossouw by.
Saai requests clarity on CADS Fund applications
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development on 6 April 2020 issued a call for applications in respect of a COVID-19 Agricultural Disaster Support Fund (CADS Fund). The Department stated that they had ring-fenced R1,2 billion to assist financially distressed smallholder and communal farmers. The applications opened on 8 April 2020 and closed on 22 April 2020.
On 17 May 2020 Minister Thoko Didiza announced the outcome of the CADS Fund application process. She stated that 15 036 applications have been approved, valued at just over R500 million. She also stated that all applications will be finalised in the week of 17 May 2020 and that issuance of vouchers to provinces will commence on 18 May 2020.
Since the date of the issuing of the media statement, Saai has been informed by various family farmers that they received confirmation of receipt, but that their applications have been rejected without any reasons being provided, while others said that they have not received any feedback from the Department as to whether their applications have been approved and/or rejected (despite the fact that processes relating to the call for applications have already been finalised).
“Saai’s members who applied included Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy (PLAS) farmers, disabled farmers, communal farmers and smallholder farmers from all ages, races and genders, and all were rejected,” says Francois Rossouw, CEO of Saai.
In light of the above, Saai has instructed its legal team to request the Department to confirm, in writing, whether all processes have indeed been finalised and, if not, to confirm by when such processes will be finalised. Saai also requested that the Department informs all applicants whether their applications have been accepted or not and, if their applications have been rejected, to provide such rejected applicants with adequate reasons.
“Should the Department fail to comply with the requests set out above, Saai will continue with further action to ensure that adequate reasons are supplied to all applicants,” Rossouw adds.
