Durban, KwaZulu-Natal: The South African Farmers Development Association (SAFDA) acknowledges and appreciates Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry, which is chaired by Joanmariae Fubbs, for its important role in advancing the cause of the sugar industry in
South Africa.
“This committee has been at the forefront of ensuring a sustainable and thriving sugar industry. Members of the committee from all political parties stood with us when we applied and fought for a better tariff to protect us against the onslaught of sugar imports,” said SAFDA Executive Chairperson Siyabonga Madlala.
SAFDA, which is the voice of many black small-scale sugarcane farmers, owes its continued existence in the industry to the decisive interventions of this committee, which played a major role in bringing about transformation in the industry.
Last year in March, Fubbs, at short notice, flew all the way from Johannesburg to Empangeni on Good Friday, to be part of a meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and industry leadership to discuss the urgent matter of raising the tariff to an appropriate and sufficient level. In that meeting, she was very supportive of the industry as it stated its case to the President of South Africa, for the protection of the local industry against cheap sugar imports.
The support of the industry by this committee saw Members of Parliament (MPs) particularly from the ANC, DA and EFF unusually united and speaking in one voice. Eventually, as the result of this concerted effort, the tariff was raised from $566 to $680, much to the relief and delight of hardest hit small-scale growers who were on the receiving end of negative bank statements due to sugar imports flooding our country.
Indeed, the battle for the survival of the industry is far from over, but as SAFDA we feel assured that the Portfolio Committee led by Fubbs has consistently supported us and shown that they have the interests of our farmers at heart.
They are fully supportive of our calls for diversification – producing fuel ethanol from sugarcane to ensure the sustainability and survival of the industry. The committee conducted two oversight visits to the industry last year – in January and November. We are continuously in touch with the committee as we also continue to engage relevant government departments regarding challenges facing the industry.
The Department of Trade and Industry, in particular, as a result of the committee’s interventions, has been instrumental in facilitating support on production inputs and development from departments of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Rural Development and Land Reform – with which a Service Level Agreement was signed in November 2018.
“As the committee’s term nears the end, we are convinced that the new one after the elections will continue working together with the industry, especially as the sugar tax impact is wreaking havoc and bringing the industry to its knees. We thank all MPs from across political lines for their continued support,” concluded Madlala.
Media queries can be directed to:
Ronda Naidu
Communications Manager
South African Farmers Development Association
031 508 7285
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www.sa-fda.org.za
Facebook: @southafricanfarmersdevelopmentassociation
About SAFDA
SAFDA was formed on 25 November 2015 to ensure that the voice and concerns of black farmers are taken into account particularly as it relates to the sustainability of rural economies and communities. It is currently focused on gaining sustainable recognition in the South African sugar industry, to ensure transformation of the sector and fair representation of almost 19 000 small scale and black land reform farmers.
Since its official recognition in October 2018, SAFDA has already made great strides in the industry.
In particular, SAFDA was instrumental in ensuring that the industry adopted an immediate transformation interventions initiative project, totalling R172 million. These initiatives are aimed at improving the farming and living conditions of black small-scale, land reform, women and youth farmers in the sugarcane growing areas of KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga. SAFDA is currently working closely with the industry to finalise a five-year transformation plan.
