Now that President Cyril Ramaphosa has won a second term as ANC leader, agricultural role players reckon it is time he gets down to work and deliver on the services the country and its people yearn for.
Ramaphosa secured 2 478 votes over the embattled Dr Zweli Mkhize who got 1 897, beating off his rival for the party’s top position.
“Now that the elephant has left the room, it is time to get down to work,” said Eastern Cape farmer Sinelizwe Fakade.
Fakade has called on the new ANC leadership to create a conducive environment for farmers to be able to create jobs.
“As a young person in farming, it is our time to thrive, but we will not be able to thrive when the environment is not friendly enough.
“We want to see this new leadership shutting down load shedding because it is impacting farmers. Now is the time to knuckle things down and get our economy moving,” he said.
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Farmers need support
Ramaphosa will be deputised by Paul Mashatile, who won by 2 178 votes, beating both Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane and justice minister Ronald Lamola to be the party’s second in command.
According to Agri SA executive director Christo van der Rheede, they welcome Ramaphosa’s re-election into power for a second term.
“We trust that he will continue to pursue his agenda to clean up government and to deliver on the services our people yearn for,” Van der Rheede said.
Meanwhile, Saamtrek Saamwerk Northern Cape chairperson Sehularo Sehularo has called on the president to continue supporting farmers.
“What farmers expect and really need from this leadership is access to land,” Sehularo said.
“Those state-owned entities that own land should release them to farmers so that they can be of good use. There will be no job creation when the land is not made available to job creators. [Also] the elected leaders need to drive investment [and] that should be their priority.”
ALSO READ: Agri leaders urge ANC to focus on key issues
Nothing to write home about
But not everyone is convinced that Ramaphosa’s second term will make much of a difference.
President of the South Africa Agricultural Graduate Association (Sagga) Malose Mokgotho does not have much faith in the re-elected Ramaphosa.
“We need to take stock of what really happened in the past five years, with President Ramaphosa leading nothing has improved. We are still relying on foreign countries for various agricultural products including the obvious ones.
“Our agricultural colleges have since been abandoned to dilapidate. The level of corruption at the very same colleges and in the country has not changed,” Mokgotho remarked.
What is also concerning is that youth have not been empowered to participate in the mainstream of the economy, he added. “The rural communities are still not developed and able to compete. We still lack proper service delivery in our sector.”
Mokgotho does, however, hope that Ramaphosa’s win brings about change.
The new ANC leadership which was elected by over 4000 delegates, are as follows:
- President: Cyril Ramaphosa
- Deputy president: Paul Mashatile
- Secretary general: Fikile Mbalula
- First deputy secretary general: Nomvula Mokonyane
- Second deputy secretary general: Marupeni Ramokgopa
- National chairperson: Gwede Mantashe; and
- Treasurer general: Gwen Ramokgopa.
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