NOTES FOR MEC NANDI MAYATHULA-KHOZA

WORKER’S DAY CELEBRATION

09 MAY 2012

Programme Director

Acting HOD MsPriscilla Pietersen

DDG and Senior Managers Present

Distinguished GDARD Staff,

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

I am delighted to be here with staff from the department of Agriculture and Rural Development during this historic month of May. As we know, the first day of May is Worker’s Day, where as a nation we pay our solidarity with workers in our country and around the world. It is also a day on which we reflect on the struggles, as well as celebrate the power of the working class people in our country.

As a nation, we inaugurated our first Worker’s Day as an official national public holiday following the first democratic election of 1994, and this we do in commemoration and celebration of the gallant struggle played by the trade union federations, workers and people of South Africa in ensuring our liberation. It was through the combined efforts of trade unions, workers and ordinary people that we managed to cripple the might of the apartheid machinery, as workers took to the streets demanding an end to apartheid.

By downing their tools, spades and shovels, workers of this country brought the apartheid economy crumbling to its knees resulting, in sky high inflation. So as the ANC government, we are forever reminded during this month of May, of these thousands of nameless struggle heroes who collectively with our movements, fought to bring about freedom in South Africa.

Today, I also meet with you, a few days after the departure of the HOD, Ms Simangele Sekgobela. As we should know by now the HOD official left the department on 31 April 2013 after a two (2) year tenure with our department. I therefore wish to, again, express my gratitude to the HOD for her sturdy leadership and guidance which she provided to the department during those two years, and wish her well in her future endeavours. As we know HOD is not entirely lost to the agricultural sector as she has been appointed as CEO of the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market, a position we wish her well in.

Move to 11 Diagonal

I am certain everyone is eager to hear about the move to diagonal, so let me say the imminent move is scheduled to be finalized at the end of May 2013. The following arrangements have been put in place with regard to the move:

The partitioning and network cabling on Floor 7 to 9 have already started and was completed on the 30th April 2013. Facilities Management, HRD, Transformation, KPM and Communications were temporarily relocated to 2nd and 11th floor in the same building to allow the construction team to work quickly.

Telephone lines have been installed on floor 7 to 9, and GDARD’s main number at 11 Diagonal is (011) 240 2500. Facilities Management has started with the allocation of extension numbers to staff.

The relocation plan, including distribution of boxes, will be communicated to all officials currently in Diamond Corner and other centres soon.

Achievements

Ladies and Gentlemen, over the past year our department has manage to exceed performance indicators, I would like to take a few minutes highlighting some of our achievements to both inspire and spur us on:

Farmer Developmental Programs

The Farmer Support and Development component focused on the implementation of Key on-farm infrastructure to the targeted farmers in the province. The initiative will assist in the unlocking of other farm activities thereby rendering the farms productive.

Extension and Advisory Services

During the last quarter agricultural extension and advisory services were rendered to subsistence farmers, smallholder farmers, aspirant, and commercial farmers throughout the province, to this effect and in an effort towards achieving the department’s outcome, a total of two hundred and sixty five (265) smallholder farmers were supported with technical, extension and advisory services and on-site agricultural extension and advisory services.

Farmers Training and Capacity Building

During the quarter in question and in an effort to address the set departmental outcome, a total of one hundred and eighty five (185) smallholder farmers were trained. Training was offered on horticulture production, soil preparations, farm management, and book keeping, as well as piggery production.

Support with production inputs through Letsema/Illima Programme

During the quarter fifteen (15) smallholder farmers were provided with piggery production inputs and poultry production inputs in total 168 smallholder farmers benefited through this developmental program.

Agricultural Economic Services

  • Eighty seven (87) agricultural cooperatives have been supported with production inputs and capacity building during the year to reduce transaction costs in their projects.
  • Thirty two (32) farmers have been assisted to access finance through various Development Finance Institutions (DFI’s) and government institutions
  • Eighteen (18) farmers have been assisted to access the market through supplying various institutions.

Veterinary Services

  • Foot and mouth disease (FMD): A cattle herd in Putfontein was examined and tested for FMD following the finding of two calves and a cow with mouth and foot lesions. Four cows were introduced into the herd from the Sundra Auction (Mpumalanga) in December. Three of them were sold for immediate traditional slaughter in January, the remaining bought-in cow and two calves were found with unclear lesions that necessitated the laboratory testing of samples to exclude FMD as a cause. A representative sample of 7 samples was tested with negative results. Two samples were further selected for additional tests (viral neutralization test) still with negative results.

Farmer Support and Development

  • The Farmer Support and Development component, through its food security sub-component maintained two hundred and forty seven (247) food production units during this quarter.
  • The Food Security sub-program focused on the development of new food gardens as a form of food security interventions to mitigate against food insecurity as follows:
  • Seventeen (17) new community based food production units were developed during the fourth quarter.
  • Eleven thousand and four (11 004) Homestead Food Gardens were developed during the fourth quarter.
  • One hundred and eight (108) school food gardens were developed during the fourth quarter.
  • Thusanang project in Bophelong (Emfuleni Local Municipality) was profiled by SABC 2 TV to be broadcasted on the program “Growing Tomorrow” after the project was selected from the Agri-Business Women of the Year Awards Winners.
  • A Total of one hundred and twenty one (121) community projects members from thirteen (13) projects in the Sedibeng District Municipality have participated in the EPWP whereby those beneficiaries were provided with a stipend of R840 per individual for a period of eight (08) months.
  • There was a transfer of funds to Tropical Mushrooms (TM) for the facilitation of a farm workers equity scheme (FWES). Tropical Mushrooms is a mushrooms producing farm in Magaliesburg. The funds will be used to purchase shares held by ABSA to increase the shareholding of Tropical Mushrooms Employees Share Trust (TEST). This is an empowerment project that will increase the participation of black people in the mushrooms industry.
  • Number of green jobs created through EPWP for:
  • Alien invasive removal EPWP projects: 214 (125 were for women, 106 for youth, and 5 for people with disabilities).
  • Working on Fire: 30 (7 were for women, 20 for youth, and for people with disabilities).
  • River Clean-up EPWP: 130 (72 were for women, 81 for youth, and 0 for people with disabilities).
  • Working for Wetlands: 25 (15 were for women, 13 for youth, and 2 for people with disabilities).
  • LandCare: 140 (88 were for women, 58 for youth, and 4 for people with disabilities).
  • Fencing: 87 jobs (17 were for women, 72 for youth, and 0 for people with disabilities)

Gender Mainstreaming

Support for WARD

  • An abattoir owned by a WARD member and a former winner of the Agri-Business Woman of the Year Awards was officially opened on 25 January 2013. The building of this abattoir was constructed by the British Embassy and also partly funded by Pick n Pay. As part of women empowerment and support for women in agriculture GDARD assisted with procuring equipment for the abattoir.
  • WARD held a meeting with IDC and Pick n Pay regarding access to funding on 6 February 2013. IDC has already compiled Business Plans for two (2) WARD members.
  • Support for other Rural Women
  • A total of one hundred and fifty thousand (150 000) seedlings were distributed to Women Cooperatives in Sedibeng, Tshwane and West Rand. These seedlings will benefit hundreds of community members in these districts.

Staff productivity and wellness enhancement programmes

  • Employee Wellness & HIV and AIDS awareness were conducted during the Induction Training held on the 24th January 2013 targeting thirteen (13) employees.
  • Employee counseling services continued to be provided for staff during this quarter under review.
  • A Staff Wellness Week took place from the 11th – 15th February 2013 in the five (5) GDARD offices. The approach was aimed at ensuring that employees access the services in their local offices while minimizing disruption of day to day duties. Health screening tests were conducted and other wellness related services provided onsite.

In house Gym Facilities

  • The Randfontein office has been resourced with a functional gym facility being utilized by approximately by twenty two (22) members i.e. 15 males and 7 females.

Organisational development and employment equity

  • GDARD is currently represented by black people: 86% Blacks, women at the SMS 47%, and 2.7 % for People with Disabilities.

Concerns of Staff

  • The department held diagnostic consultation sessions with all branches throughout February and March. A total of 165 staff participated in those sessions at which, amongst others, two interactive exercises were conducted, namely a Force Field Analysis (Case for Change) and an Organisational Profiling tool aimed at assessing the current state of the department.
  • These two exercises confirmed that there are several challenges experienced by the department currently, most notably those relating to Communication, Decision-making and Problem-solving. Whilst all these areas require our attention, the improvement of communication is the most critical area to work on during a time of transition.
  • It is crucial for managers and supervisors keep their staff informed on developments within the department on an ongoing basis.
  • Another notable area of challenge relates to the state of staff in the department. The majority of respondents were of the view that many employees were demoralized and demotivated and still focused on the past (when the department was perceived to be more successful and effective). However, there was an acknowledgement that there is also a significant group of staff who is positive and enthusiastic and see themselves as part of the future of the department. It is also worth noting that, despite the demotivated members of staff, most employees still believed in what they did and that there was room for professional growth in the department.
  • Another milestone of the past two months was the establishment and training of the Reference Group which is a cross-section of staff in the department who act as a validation and review team in support of the project team.
  • The month of April 2013 saw the start of the structure consultation sessions aimed at reviewing and realigning the functional groupings of the department. This entails agreeing on the first two reporting levels to the HOD (macro structure), followed by more detailed drill downs on the operational posts in each of the branches (micro structure). During these sessions, management and staff were asked to review the structure of the department as a whole as well as their specific areas of work against

In closing, I would like to assure all staff that as Management we are committed to ensuring a healthy working environment at GDARD where we empower, inform and support our personnel. And I trust that as we go forward into the latter part of the year we will continue displaying the Batho Pele principles in our collective work ethic.

Thank you

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