SPEECH BY MEC NANDI MAYATHULA-KHOZA AT THE HANDING OVER OF STARTER PACKS IN TSHWANE

MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013

Programme Director,

MMCs present,

Councilors present,

Community Leaders present,

Members of the Media,

Ladies and Gentlemen

Dumelang, Molweni, Sanibonani, Gooie More, Good Morning,

I am honoured to be here this morning at the Parliamentary Constituency Office (PCO)stakeholder engagement. I am truly delighted Program Director, that this stakeholder engagement is with young people, women and people with disabilities communities living in Tshwane. We meet here in Tshwane in the month of April, a significant month as our country celebrates heroes of our liberation movement and also a month in which we celebrate the freedom we attained 19 years ago.

Program Director, we should all recall it was in April that we lost a young lion, Solomon Mahlangu, who on the 06 April 1979 was taken to the gallows of a prison not very far from here, and hung. It was also in 23 April 1993, that we lost anotherfierce freedom fighter who had dedicated his entire life to the liberation of South Africa, Oliver Reginald (O.R) Tambo, who died from complications due to a stroke. Program Director, April also marks the loss to our nation of a giant, a son of the soil, a brave freedom fighter who gave up his youth and subsequently his life in the pursuit of the liberation and freedom of our people and country. On 10 April 1993, Martin Thembisile “Chris” Hani was brutally assassinated outside his home in Dawn Park, Boksburg. And just last week, President Jacob Zuma led the nation in both commemorating and celebrating the heroic life of this giant of our struggle.

I am therefore extremely delighted to be here with the community and people of Tshwane in this important month to perform an equally important task, that of handing over starter parks to our people. Ladies and gentlemen, we all know and realize that Agriculture is a key economic driver within our economy, but equally important, is the significance agriculture plays in job creation, poverty alleviation and food security.

As MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development and a proud member of the African National Congress (ANC) deployed in Government, I am also delighted to be here with fellow members of our gallant movement, that just celebrated 101 years of existence. A liberation movement that was founded by men and women of virtue, who were determined to sacrifice their own wellbeing and lives for the liberation and emancipation of the African people.

Program Director, ladies and gentlemen, I am also thrilled that we assemble here today, just weeks away from our nation celebrating 19 years of freedom. A freedom that was bore on the back of pain, suffering and loss of life. And as Government, we remain resolute in our commitment to ensuring that the sacrifice that was paid by so many of our people over the decades translates to a better life for all our people.

Program Director, as we recall, President Jacob Zuma indicated that our nation is still grappling with the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality, which still persist and thus require all spheres of Government and society to unite in addressing them. I therefore am pleased that we assemble here today to honour that call by our President, as today we will be handing over much needed agricultural inputs to over 50 people.

This act by the Gauteng department of Agriculture and Rural Development, ladies and gentlemen, is aimed at assisting households, co-operatives and the community be food secure.

Ladies and Gentlemen, as Government and a Department, we remain resolute and committed to our ANC Manifesto, and continue to make significant progress towards our related Departmental vision of building, “Vibrant, equitable and sustainable rural communities contributing towards food security for all, protected and enhanced environmental assets and natural resources”, asevident today.

And as the ANC Government, the Freedom Charter, adopted nearly 6 decades ago in 1955, remains our guiding document in 2013. The Charter declared “The land shall be shared among those who work it to banish famine and hunger”, and this event today, which jointly GDARD and PCO worked on, bears testament to our commitment to the declaration of the Freedom Charter. As Government, we have declared war on poverty and remain fixed on banishing hunger and poverty within our communities, one household at a time.

Ladies and gentlemen, I also wish to remind us that 2013 is the centenary of the infamous 1913 Land Act, an inhumane Actpromulgated by the Apartheid machinery to prohibit Black people from owning land and strip it off those who owned any. This Act was a ploy by the Apartheid regime to strip our people of their wealth, food, security and provision. As it is through the land that we cultivate our food, it is through land that we find shelter, it is through land that we find security and generate an income for our families.

And a century later, this evil legacy is a daily and constant reminder to us all. Our people still live far from any amenities, the infrastructure in our communities still bare that legacy and our people are still without the land to till and eat off. While significant strides have been made in addressing the ills of Apartheid, the land issue still remains a challenge.

I therefore concur with our President that indeed the willing buyer, willing seller policy has not worked and thus requires a review to fully address the legacy of Apartheid and its ramifications on Africans.

Program Director in closing,while South Africa produces enough food to feed the nation, it is estimatedthat between 30 and 50% of the population does not have access to enough nutritious, safe and affordable food for them and their families.The challenge therefore of achieving food security in South Africa is to ensure that ALL people have access to adequate, safe, nutritious and affordable food at all times.

The current food security challenge in our Province consists of two dimensions. The first dimension seeks to maintain and increase the ability of people to meet their household food requirements. This includes and involves meeting these needs from domestic agricultural resources and own production. It is estimated that up to 41% of total income is spent on food, leaving very little for other things in some households in Gauteng. (University Johannesburg, 2008). Gauteng is 96% urbanised, the focus is therefore on establishing food production units in urban and peri-urban areas and we believe by providing these production inputs today we are contributing towards ensuring that everyone in our Province is food secure.

Thank you

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