Die COVID-19-regulasies het die reeds brose Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie verder verswak.
Hoewel boerderye met sake kon aangaan, het die ontwrigting van markte soos die restaurant- en kantienbedryf en die informele sektor baie produsente in ’n finansiële verknorsing gelaat. Tabak‑, wyn- en wildboere is in die moeilikheid en kontantvloeikrisisse staar veral kleiner familieboerderye in die gesig.
By Saai, die organisasie vir familieboere, is dié gesingebaseerde boerderye ons kernfokus, en ons sal geen steen onaangeroer laat om hulle in besigheid te hou nie. Saai stel tans die belange van familieboere en plaaswerkers in die tabakbedryf se saak in die hofstryd teen die drakoniese veldtog teen rook wat die staat deur COVID-91-regulasies voer.
Die wild-en jagbedryf gee ons egter die meeste slapelose nagte. Buitelandse jagters, wat met trofeejag by verre die grootste omset op wildplase stimuleer, gaan nie vanjaar hierheen kom nie. Duisende het gekanselleer. Dit het ’n verdoemende impak op werkgeleenthede, veilings, slaghuise, gastehuise, taksidermie en wapenwinkels. Dit haal ongeveer R20 miljard uit die diep plattelandse ekonomie uit en laat elke wildboer in ’n finansiële verknorsing,” sê dr. Theo de Jager, voorsitter van Saai se direksie.
Saai gaan daarom hierdie winter ’n groot Gaan jag!-veldtog van stapel stuur. Hoewel plaaslike biltongjag nooit kan vervang wat ons aan buitelandse trofeejag verloor nie, kan dit deurslaggewend wees om wildboere op hul plase te hou, meen De Jager.
As jy ’n geleentheidsjagter is wat so elke paar jaar met ’n geweer op die plaas kom, is 2020 weer die tyd daarvoor. Dit is die ideale geleentheid om herinneringe, foto’s en biltong saam met jou familie bymekaar te maak iewers in die Afrika-bos. Vir ’n ander familie beteken dit die verskil tussen oorlewing en ondergang.
Go hunting! campaign: Saai encourages people to support hunting industry
The COVID-19 regulations have damaged the already fragile economy even further. Although farms could continue with their operations, the disruption of markets such as the restaurant and bar industry, as well as the informal sector, left many producers in financial distress. Tobacco, wine and game farmers are in trouble and especially smaller family farms are facing cash-flow problems.
At Saai, the organisation for family farmers, these family-based farms remain our focus and we will leave no stone unturned to keep them in business. Saai is currently representing the interests of the family farmers in the tobacco industry and their workers in our court battle against the draconian campaign that the state is currently waging against smoking through the COVID-19 regulations.
“The game and hunting industries give us the most sleepless nights, however. Hunters from abroad, who stimulate the greatest turnover on game farms through trophy hunting, will not be visiting this year. Thousands cancelled their trips. This has a damning impact on job opportunities, auctions, butcheries, guest houses, taxidermy and firearm businesses. It erased about R20 billion from the deep rural economy, leaving every game farmer in a financial predicament,” says Dr Theo de Jager, Chairperson of Saai’s Board of Directors.
Saai will therefore be launching a major Go hunting! campaign this winter. Although local biltong hunting will never replace what we have lost in terms of trophy hunters from abroad, it can be crucial in keeping game farmers on their farms,” De Jager says.
If you are an occasional hunter who go to game farms with your rifle once every few years, 2020 is once again that time. It is the ideal opportunity to make memories, take photos and make biltong together with your family somewhere in the African bush. For another family, this may mean the difference between survival and ruin.
