Die uitgerekte proses wat hier deurloop is het sy eie vrag frustrasie met hom saamgedra, maar die belangrikste was dat ons almal baie geleer het en uiteindelik geseëvier het as gevolg van die bereidwilligheid om voortdurend terug te gaan na die tekenbord toe totdat ons die gewenste resultate verkry het.
Laat my dan ook sommer nou my dank betuig teenoor al die partye wat betrokke was in ons soeke na 'n positiewe uitslag. Ons het op die 18de Julie 'n provinsiale grondberaad gehou en verlede week het ons 'n Nasionale grondberaad gehou wat beraadslaag het oor die regering se grondhervormings program en die vennootskap wat nodig is om die pas van Grondhervorming te versnel in 'n poging om gehoor te te gee aan die strewe oor grond en die eienaarskap van grond, soos vervat in die vryheidsmanifes.
The basis for our deliberations was the acknowledgement and the understanding that South Africa equally belongs to all who live in it, whether you are black or white or colored or Indian and to re emphasize the fact that our people have been robbed of their birthright to land, liberty and peace for many years by a form of government founded on injustice and inequality and that we should streamline the process to empower our people through a process of provision of land in its many facets.
In the last paragraph of the preamble of the Freedom Charter it is agreed that we pledge ourselves to strive together, sparing neither strength nor courage, until such a time as the democratic changes that were set out to achieve have fully been won.
Die Regering van die Wes-Kaap gee erkenning hieraan deur ons strewe na die skep van 'n tuiste vir almal in die Provinsie. Ons is deeglik bewus daarvan dat ons belangrikste hulpbronne nie onder die grond voorkom soos in ander provinsies nie, maar dat ons belangrikste bate die omgewing, grond en ons mense is.
Elf jaar gelede het die regering begin om planne in werking te stel wat gehoor moes gee en uitvoering moes bring aan die selfopgelegde taak om toe te sien dat die grond verdeel sal word tussen die wat dit besit, diegene wie dit help bewerk, diè wie 'n behoefte het om grond te besit, diè wie 'n behoefte het om grond te bewerk maar nog nooit 'n geleentheid gehad het om dit te doen nie en daardie gemeenskappe wie se grond van hulle weggeneem is en aan wie dit terugbesorg moes word.
Ons het dit vir onsself ten doel gestel om vir eens en vir altyd toe te sien dat rasgebasseerde beperking op grondeienaarskap tot 'n einde sal kom deur die nodige middele en infrastruktuur te voorsien om dit moontlik te maak vir elke Suid-Afrikaner om die eienaar van sy of haar stukkie grond te word, hetsy om daarop te woon of om dit te bewerk in 'n poging om 'n bestaan daaruit te maak en ook in 'n poging om hongersnood en armoede te beveg.
Om te kan boer is nie 'n reg nie, dis 'n voorreg. Die besit van grond is wel 'n reg, maar wanneer ons hierdie twee naamlik boerdery en grondbesit bymekaar bring, word dit 'n onderneming wat met groot verantwoordelikheid aangepak moet word en daarom is dit vir ons in die Wes-Kaapse Departement van Landbou baie belangrik dat bemagtigingsprojekte geslaagd en volhoubaar moet wees.
I understand that literally translated, the name Vuki is a Sesotho word meaning, to stand up. The use of the word in Sotho however implies "Arise, be awake go and do something for yourself", and the people of Vuki have done that.
Vuki has emerged from the proverbial ashes after the liquidation of the Whitehall Farming joint venture in November 2001. The employees of the venture were retained by the liquidator to run the operation. The liquidator appointed an experienced business recovery specialist to assist the workers and act as General Manager.
During the initial period, after all the positive foreign exchange considerations of 2002 are taken into account, the operation yielded the highest profit in 10 years. During the following months the workers rallied together and formed Vuki Trust. The trustees of Vuki Trust then obtained financing and made an offer to purchase the farm from the liquidator. This offer was approved by the secured creditors, Landbank, DBSA, IDT and FNB, and then ratified by the Master of the Supreme Court. The final transfer of the property to Vuki has been delayed by ongoing legal action from the Hall family to prevent the sale of the farm to the workers.
The Hall family have however agreed to consent to the sale should all claims from secured creditors of the Whitehall Insolvent Estate against the Hall family be withdrawn. It is wonderful to say that a settlement of this nature has been negotiated with all relevant parties and I want to thank all the parties once again for the willingness to do so.
We are happy to see that Vuki has set a goal to become the blueprint for an empowerment model in the agricultural sector. Looking at the various important programs that you have embarked upon and the plans that you have for the future, we know that you will be one of the models to showcase and use as an example.
As your core business is farming, you rightly say that your goals will be accomplished by being a top producer of high quality fruit in the Western Cape.
You have already identified that the composition and nature of the farm community is ideal for the launching of community based empowerment projects by making optimum use of all relevant resources to establish various sustainable education, aftercare, retail and tourism projects.
In line with the ideals of Ikapa Elihlumayo and a home for all, the vision of Vuki Trust is to improve the living standard of the beneficiaries of the trust through various empowerment projects on the farm. This empowerment includes concepts of fair and adequate wages, fair labour practice, healthy living conditions, adult education, bursary programs for tertiary education, peripheral entrepreneurial business and other community based projects.
All of this can only be achieved with adequate funding and you have indicated that you want your farming operation to be the main source of the funding required by the trust.
I have no doubt that your diligent application of best farming practice, as determined by the Europgap and other relevant accreditation standards, will ensure high quality production. Adhering to the disciplines of best business practice in all spheres of the operation to minimize risk and thereby ensuring profitability. Forging strategic alliances with selected service providers and customers is part of the overall business strategy.
One of the greatest challenges facing the business is dealing with the run down condition of the fixed infrastructure, the orchards and the movables. The eradication of discriminatory wage structures and the establishment of a fully functional and socially responsible micro-community also form part of the total vision of Vuki. Vuki Farming provides employment to 42 permanent workers and in the peak of the harvest employs as many as 300 temporary workers.
Die vryheidsmanifes sê dat die staat die kleinboere sal voorsien van implimente, saad, trekkers en damme om die grond te bewaar en die werkers te ondersteun terwyl vryheid van beweging gewaarborg sal word aan elkeen wat die grond bewerk.
'n Proses wat 'n jaar terug begin het en waarin ons die samewerking en verbintenis van onder andere Landbank, FNB, Die Ontwikkelingsbank van Suid-Afrika - die IDT, die Likwidateur, mnr Barend Petersen, tot hierdie projek gekry het spreek boekdele. Dit is duidelik dat daar by almal 'n strewe tot suksesvolle grondhervorming is. Ek het ook vir mnr Tony Ehrenreich van Cosatu genooi om vandag met ons te wees, ook omdat hy betrokke was maar hy het ander verpligtinge en stuur sy groete en gelukwensinge aan die mense van Vuki.
U, die mense van hierdie Vuki plaas projek het oor die afgelope aantal jare getoon dat u die wil en die verantwoordelikheid het om op u eie inisiatief 'n sukses te maak en daarom is ons by die Departement van Landbou in die Wes-Kaap baie trots op u en assosieer ons graag met u en wil ons u bystaan om van hierdie projek 'n groter sukses te maak.
In this long and tedious process of more than a year from my side at least all obstacles have now been removed and all that remains is for the people of Vuki farm to apply for the bond from the Land Bank - the assurance I have and I am glad that Mr Abel Chendomodima is here from the Land Bank, that there can be no problems with your application. Mr Fife from the Department of Land Affairs similarly assured me that your LRAD grants are ready and waiting.
Ek handig dan nou met graagte hierdie tjek van een miljoen en negentigduisend rand, aan u oor om u te help in die opbou en vooruitgang van hierdie projek om die mense van Vuki verder te bemagtig.
Pictures on available on request.
Enquiries: Alie van Jaarsveld
084 604 6701
Alie van Jaarsveld
Spokesperson
Ministry of Agriculture: Western Cape
Tel: 021 483 4930
Fax: 021 483 3890
Cell: 084 604 6701
E-mail: avjaarsv@pgwc.gov.za
A Home for All ~ 'n Tuiste vir Almal ~ iKaya Lethu Sonke
www.capegateway.gov.za
