Project
28 April 2006
Government, through the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South
Africa (AsgiSA), is considering building a dam closer to the Umzimvubu River to
provide for domestic and farming activities in the Alfred Nzo District the
Minister for Agriculture, Thoko Didiza, said yesterday in Kokstad,
KwaZulu-Natal.
Minister Didiza marked the celebration of Freedom Day yesterday through
celebrating the first harvest of the Goxe Cut Flower Project at Puffaderrhoek
Farm, near Kokstad.
The Minister challenged social partners and members of the community that
Freedom Day will mean nothing for the majority of South Africans if they feel
that whilst the country has attained political freedom, their lives have not
changed for the better. It was therefore important, the Minister emphasised,
that the success of the Goxe Cut Flower Project which is aimed at improving the
quality of life for the people of Goxe district be celebrated.
The Goxe Cut Flower Project is a joint venture between the three tiers of
government, national Department of Agriculture, provincial Department of
Agriculture and the community of Goxe through the Bambisanani Community
Trust.
To alleviate poverty, address unemployment and generate economic growth at
local level, the community identified the land around Goxe and the banks of
Umzimvubu River to be good for Protea plant production, fresh produce as well
as grazing.
The Department of Agriculture through the Land Redistribution for
Agricultural Development (LRAD) programme contributed R820 000 for the purchase
the land. The Alfred Nzo District Municipality invested an amount of about R4
million in the project over a period of four years.
The project made up of 641 hectares has managed to create 220 part time jobs
and 24 permanent ones.
âToday we are saying this project belongs to the beneficiaries before us.
The government is assisting them. But beneficiaries must also show and display
their commitment to their project. You have to be examples of how government
assists people,â Minister said.
âWhen we come back here again, we want to see the difference the project has
made to the quality of the people of this community. Other businesses must
arise around here because of the success of your project,â the Minister
added.
She encouraged people of the area working in other parts of the country to
market projects of their communities. She said projects on the ground could be
linked up with other industries in the country and made an example about the
relationship between beef cattle breeding and abattoirs and agricultural
farming with the fertiliser industry.
The Minister emphasised that beneficiaries have to be trained at all levels
to ensure the success of projects.
Contact:
Eddie Mohoebi
Chief Director: Communications
Tel: (012) 312 9648
Cell: 082 550 1445
Solly Phetla
PR and Internal Communication
Tel: (012) 312 8112
Fax: (012) 323 3693
Issued by: Department of Agriculture
28 April 2006
