Minister Meyer welcomes investigation into Colenso Farm by Department

MINISTER MEYER WELCOMES INVESTIGATION INTO COLENSO FARM BY DEPARTMENT, REQUESTS PUBLIC PROTECTOR TO INVESTIGATE AGAIN

I welcome the recent announcements that the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) will launch an investigation into the unlawful eviction of Ivan Cloete from the farm Colenso.

But given that the matter involves the National Department itself, it is only appropriate that it  also be investigated by an independent institution.

I will therefore request that the Office of the Public Protector investigate this matter again, as it has clearly not been resolved.

Furthermore, in the interest of accountability and transparency, I will also request that Minister Didiza provide a full list of state-owned farms in the Western Cape and the names of beneficiaries allocated to these farms through the National Department's land reform programme.

We need to be assured that land reform is not being used as a way to benefit politicians and their friends, at the expense of hard-working and deserving applicants

The bottom line is that DALRRD must not repeat Ivan Cloete's treatment as it can destabilize the one sector that has contributed positively to the economy over the last two quarters.

Replacing productive, bona fide farmers such as Ivan Cloete with politically linked individuals places South Africa's food security at risk.

Agriculture is an essential sector of the economy of SA, and we cannot allow the state capture of farmland to continue.