22 September 2006
The Western Cape provincial MEC for Agriculture, Minister Cobus Dowry,
cordially invites members of the media to the official handover ceremonies of
three projects in the West Coast region starting today.
The first handover, to take place in Citrusdal, will be to the Hexrivier
Citrus Trust project consisting of 150 farm workers who will receive 70% share
in a citrus exporting agri-business comprising a farm of 146 hectares in terms
of the Land Redistribution for Agricultural development (LRAD) programme. This
type of Land Reform project is generally known as a Farm Worker Equity Scheme
(FWES), and is an arrangement where both land reform beneficiaries and private
sector partners purchase equity in the form of shares in a land-based
enterprise (either land or operating company or separate land-holding
companies). Participants receive returns in the form of dividends and capital
growth.
The second handover, to take place near Piketberg, will be to the Langrug
Boerdery Trust, also in terms of the LRAD programme. The beneficiaries acquired
1 150 hectares of land to utilise for agricultural production. These
beneficiaries received the LRAD grant and purchased the Langrug farm in the
Piketberg district.
Another project to be celebrated is the Seeland Development Trust, which
consists of 201 emerging farmers who acquired 926 hectares of agricultural land
known as Lange Klip Farm and a portion of the Farm Blaauberg, near St Helena
Bay. The land is currently used for farming with sheep, oats and other wheat,
as well as sand mining. The beneficiaries, who are mostly from the Coloured and
African communities of St Helena Bay, also received a grant through the LRAD
programme.
The full details of the ceremonies are as follows:
1. Hexrivier Citrus Trust
Date: 22 September 2006
Time: 13h00
Venue: Citrusdal Sports Ground
Guest speaker: MEC Cobus Dowry
2. Langrug Boerdery Trust
Date: 22 September 2006
Time: 15h00
Venue: Piketberg
Guest speaker: MEC Cobus Dowry
3. Seeland Development Trust
Date: 23 September 2006
Time: 11h00
Venue: Laingville, St Helena Bay
Guest speaker: Chief Director of the Western Cape Land Reform Office, Mr
Terance Fife.
Enquiries:
Lethabo Mashile
Tel: (021) 426 2947
Cell: 082 827 6251
Issued by: Department of Land Affairs
22 September 2006
