With just over two weeks left in 2021, one must take a deep breath if you want to look back on the year that was and sometimes you need to look again to make sure what you experienced was real.
For TLU SA, the ANC's policy environment stands head and shoulders above all matters of the past year. It has an impact on all aspects of South African society and the environment.
The ANC policy environment covers, among other things, minimum wages, EWC, BEE, cadre deployment, etc.
“Our country is already in junk status due to all the uncertainty, due to the ANC's policy environment. A large part of our reality is linked to the policy environment - an unrealistic one - which does not inspire confidence,” said Mr Bennie van Zyl, TLU SA General Manager.
A quick flashback at the state of the nation address in February this year. Four focal points were identified: overcoming the pandemic; acceleration of economic growth; implementation of economic reform for job creation and encouragement of inclusive economic growth; fight against corruption and strengthening the state.
Today's reality regarding economic growth and job creation is a bleak picture. The unemployment rate according to the definition of people who can still work but are no longer looking for work - currently stands at a staggering 44.4%. Economic growth is nowhere near where it should be.
“The ANC policy environment holds South African entrepreneurs back and prevents them from becoming fully involved in the economy of our country. The government can therefore not announce growth,” said Mr Van Zyl.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his State of the Nation Address: “The government is committed to growing our economy and creating jobs. However, the private sector has a responsibility to stimulate job creation through both its policies and direct job creation opportunities.”
Mr. Van Zyl's responded: “The private sector can only stimulate economic growth if it is allowed to do so firstly in a safe environment, where crime is combated. And then in a policy environment where the private sector would like to be actively involved. However, the government fails with regards to both. The government asks for one thing, but then does exactly what the opposite is going to bring. Given what the ANC government is putting on the table, the private sector will not become actively involved.”
As far as the fight against corruption is concerned, there is progress with the Zondo Commission which is due to submit its report to the President in early January 2022.
"What will the Zondo Commission’s report bring to the table? It will have to properly clean house otherwise it will lose all credibility. We remain concerned about corruption though.”
For TLU SA, Expropriation without Compensation was high on the agenda. The proposed amendment to Article 25 of South Africa's Constitution with regards to the expropriation of property without compensation was not voted in earlier in the month. Although it was a good result, it is not the end of EWC. The process is certainly not over.
“There are those who are determined to carry it out in some way or another. We as TLU SA are grateful to everyone who voted against it, but we cannot sit back now and forget about the matter.”
The expropriation law is also still in process, and this requires only an absolute majority. There will be attempts to implement it again. So, the red lights of danger are still flickering.
“We also took note of the Agricultural Master Plan. TLU SA is concerned about the ignorance regarding the ANC’s transformation agenda where it is trying to transform the entire economic system from private property rights and a market-oriented economy to a centralised socialism and communism. Within the ANC's transformation agenda, he packs various aspects such as EWC, BEE, equal employment, land expropriation, affirmative action and the one that worries me the most, the school curriculum. There are good points in the master plan, but it is subject to the ANC's transformation agenda. South Africa must realise that we must oppose the transformation agenda of the ANC.”
Another reality for South Africans is that the country is on the verge of the fourth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. The year started with the second wave, and this was followed by a third which for many was the final straw that broke the camel’s back.
“Regulatory measures and restrictions have hurt our economy. For some, sources of income have dried up, but new currents also emerged. We are currently facing a restructured economic process. The fact of the matter is we still must look to open the economy as far and wide as possible and from this capacity we create economic activities. There is no doubt that Covid-19 is a very serious matter, but our economy can no longer suffer. We are asking for a better balance in handling Covid-19,” said Mr Van Zyl.
For TLU SA as an organisation, events like the successful Northern Cape tour, KwaZulu-Natal’s recognition of police officers and East Region's shooting day – to name just a few – were significant happenings of the year.
“These are important events where our people come together and talk about various aspects but also agricultural issues. This is what binds our people. And this is extremely important. It’s good to see what we can do if we work together. We are increasingly going to have to stand up and stand firm for what is important to us.”
2021 Terugvoer en kykweer
Met net meer as twee weke in 2021 oor moet mens behoorlik asemskep as jy wil terugkyk na die jaar wat was en soms het jy ’n kykweer nodig om seker te maak wat jy beleef het, was realiteit.
Vir TLU SA staan die ANC se beleidsomgewing kop en skouers uit bo alle aangeleenthede van die afgelope jaar. Dit het impak op alle aspekte van die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing en omgewing.
Die ANC-beleidsomgewing dek onder andere minimumlone, OSV, SEB, kader-ontplooiing, ens.
“Ons land is reeds in rommelstatus weens al die onsekerheid; weens die ANC se beleidsomgewing. ’n Groot deel van ons realiteit is gekoppel aan die beleidsomgewing – ’n onrealistiese een – wat nie vertroue inboesem nie,” sê Mnr. Bennie van Zyl, TLU SA Hoofbestuurder.
’n Vinnige terugblik na die staatsrede in Februarie vanjaar. Daar was vier fokuspunte geïdentifiseer: die pandemie oorkom; versnelling van ekonomiese groei; implementering van ekonomiese hervorming vir die skepping van werksgeleenthede en aanmoediging van inklusiewe ekonomiese groei; stryd teen korrupsie en versterking van die staat.
Vandag se realiteit rakende ekonomiese groei en werkskepping is ’n donker prentjie. Die werkloosheidsyfer volgens die definisie van mense wat nog kan werk, maar nie meer vir werk soek nie – staan tans op ’n verbysterende 44.4%. Ekonomiese groei is nie naastenby waar dit moet wees nie.
“Die ANC-beleidsomgewing hou Suid-Afrikaanse entrepreneurs terug en verhoed hulle om volwaardig in die ekonomie van ons land betrokke te raak. Die regering kan dus nie groei aankondig nie,” sê Mnr. Van Zyl.
President Cyril Ramaphosa het in sy staatsrede gesê: “Die regering is daartoe verbind om ons ekonomie te groei en werksgeleenthede te skep. Die privaatsektor het egter ’n verantwoordelikheid om werkskepping te stimuleer deur beide sy beleid en direkte werkskeppende geleenthede.”
Mnr. Van Zyl se reaksie is: “Die privaatsektor kan net ekonomiese groei stimuleer as hy toegelaat word om dit eerstens in ’n veilige omgewing, waar die misdaad bekamp word te doen. En dan ’n beleidsomgewing het waar die privaatsektor graag aktief betrokke sal wil wees. Die regering faal egter met albei. Die regering vra een ding, maar doen dan presies wat die teenoorgestelde te weeg gaan bring. Gegewe dit wat die ANC-regering op die tafel sit, gaan die privaatsektor nie aktief betrokke raak nie.”
Wat die stryd teen korrupsie betref, is daar vordering met die Zondo-kommissie wat vroeg in Januarie 2022 sy verslag aan die President moet lewer.
“Wat gaan die Zondo-kommissie se verslag tafel toe bring? Hulle sal behoorlik moet skoonmaak anders is al sy geloofwaardigheid daarmee heen. Oor korrupsie bly ons bekommerd.”
Vir TLU SA was die Onteiening sonder vergoeding hoog op die agenda. Die voorgestelde wysiging op Artikel 25 van Suid-Afrika se Grondwet ten opsigte van die onteiening van eiendom sonder vergoeding te verander, is onlangs afgestem. Ofskoon dit ’n goeie uitslag was, is dit egter beslis nie die einde van OSV nie. Die proses is beslis nie verby nie.
“Daar is dié wat vasbeslote is om dit op een of ander manier deur te voer. Ons as TLU SA is natuurlik dankbaar vir almal wat daarteen gestem het, maar ons kan nie nou terugsit en van die aangeleentheid vergeet nie.”
Die onteieningswet is ook nog in proses en hiervoor is net ’n volstrekte meerderheid nodig. Daar sal beslis weer pogings wees om dit deur te voer. Die rooiligte van gevaar flikker dus steeds.
“Ons het ook met groot sorg van die Landbou-meesterplan kennis geneem. TLU SA is bekommerd oor die groot onkunde rakende die ANC se transformasie-agenda waar hy probeer om die hele ekonomiese stelsel te transformeer van privaatbesitreg en ’n markgerigte ekonomie na ’n gesentraliseerde sosialisme en kommunisme. Binne die ANC se transformasie-agenda verpak hy verskeie aspekte soos OSV, SEB, gelyke indiensneming, grondonteiening, regstellende aksie en dié een wat my erg bekommer, die skool curriculum. Daar is goeie punte in die meesterplan, maar dit is onderhewig aan die ANC se transformasie-agenda. Suid-Afrika moet besef dat ons die transformasie-agenda van die ANC moet teenwerk.”
Nog ’n realiteit vir Suid-Afrikaners is dat die land op die drumpel van die vierde vlaag van die Covid-19 pandemie staan. Die jaar het begin met die tweede vlaag en dit was opgevolg met ’n derde vlaag wat vir baie die finale strooi was wat die kameel se rug gebreek het.
“Regulerende maatreëls en inperkings het ons ekonomie seergemaak. Sommige se krane is toegedraai, maar nuwe strome het ook ontstaan. Tans sit ons met ’n hergestruktureerde ekonomiese proses. Die feit van die saak is ons moet tog kyk om die ekonomie so groot en wyd as moontlik oop te maak en vanuit dié vermoë skep ons ekonomiese aktiwiteite. Daar is geen twyfel nie dat Covid-19 ’n baie ernstige saak is, maar ons ekonomie kan nie langer ly nie. Ons vra vir ’n beter balans in hantering van Covid-19,” het Mnr. Van Zyl gesê.
Vir TLU SA as organisasie is gebeure soos die suksesvolle Noord-Kaap toer, KwaZulu-Natal se erkenning aan polisielede en Oos-streek se skietdag om net paar te noem groot hoogtepunte.
“Dit is belangrike gebeure waar ons mense bymekaar kom en oor verskeie aspekte maar ook landbousake gesels. Dit is wat ons mense bind. En dit is uiters noodsaaklik. Dit is goed om te sien wat ons kan doen as ons saamwerk. Ons gaan al hoe meer om die regte redes moet opstaan en uitstaan vir dit wat vir ons belangrik is.”
