20 February 2006
The MEC for Department of Agriculture Gugile Nkwinti, with the national
Department of Land Affairs, donated about R10 million and committed themselves
for further funding for the new financial year for Enon and Barsheba Citrus
project.
About 26 â 350 hectors to be developed for oranges in the Sundays River
Valley Municipality in Kirkwood. According to Mr H Jantjies the land was
allocated to the community of Enon and Barsheba but there was no transparency
from former land owners on how people should benefit on it. He said âThe
government was not even part and parcel on this project until the MEC for
Agriculture, Mr Nkwinti, intervened in 2004 and pave the way, for community
involvement (improvement shown and participation on our land).â
This project was under Riverbend Company, which was owned by whites only,
and the company called New Line Investment Holdings, which is mostly owned by
black people, joined venture with them to form the programme called Umlimi,
which incorporates all races. âThis has shown a lot of progress as a result
more training has been done so as to empower the people who will be dealing
with this project,â said New Business Development (New Line Investment Holding)
Manager, Mr Zleila Dubase.
Mr Jane Hannah, who is the Director for private company called Sunday River
Citrus Company (SRCC), also pledged their message of support. He said âThe
vision of this company says Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) is all about
knowledge and our company wishes to avail itself for BEE. He also mentioned
that there is also a steering committee, which will assist on driving this
project in terms of technical services, expertise on gearing for literacy and
numeracy training so as to make successful transfer of knowledge.
The MEC, Mr Gugile Nkwinti, on his official launch of this project said
âThis land will be developed by people themselves not Riverbend, therefore
community should show overwhelming support and co-operation and make sure that
this land is developed. He also congratulated the minister for Land Affairs,
Mrs Thoko Didiza, for making things happen, by giving people land so as to make
living. âThis is also part of job creation, no person here in Barsheba will sit
behind the house and proclaim that they have no job, everybody will be working
starting from now onwards,â he said.
Enquiries:
Zoleka Dondolo
Tel: (040) 609 3402
Cell: 083 566 0527
Fikile Black
Tel: (040) 609 3486
Cell: 082 578 1437
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Eastern Cape Provincial
Government
20 February 2006
Source: Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.ecprov.gov.za/)
