READ Department heeds call for Social Mobilisation Campaign
Two key departmental projects have been launched as part of the Provincial Social Mobilisation Ten Point Campaign Plan. MEC Manketsi Tlhape launched the Farm workers cooperatives as well as the cleaning campaign as part of the campaign which as pronounced by Premier Mahumapelo in his state of the Province Address 2016, is aimed at directly dealing with societal issues affecting people on a daily basis.
The projects were launched in Brits, Madibeng Local Municipality and are part of the action plan that the department has developed in order to contribute to the achievements of campaign. MEC Tlhape visited Group 10 farm workers cooperative and planted seedlings in order to set path and encourage the cooperative to continue operations.
For Lydia Thage, a 45 year old mother of four, the farm workers cooperatives launch and the MEC visit to their farm, situated 20 km from Brits town, is a dream turned true. Thage is part is an eight members, five Women & three men farm workers cooperatives specialising in fruits and vegetable production.
Thage said they now feel officially recognised and will hard growing their business. The farm which was purchased for the cooperative in 2005 through the National Department of Rural Development and Land Reform has been experiencing challenges including group dynamics and that hampered on production. Thage said she was aware of the commitment of the department to support farmworkers who are owners of farms.
The department has in 2007 also given the cooperative a financial boost of R496 000 which assisted them on purchasing of centre pivot with cable, hail nets, plastic for tunnels, two broiler houses with accessories, boiler, water pump, electric motor, fertilizer, fertilizer tank, cable to broiler houses.
Other cooperative launched included Khanya, Tsholofelo as well as Kgema Morule. All are based in Madibeng local municipality.
Speaking to the cooperatives, MEC Tlhape encouraged the farm workers to acknowledge and respect their ownership of farms. She said the department was committed to bringing in reforms in the living conditions of Farm workers. "We are committed to bring in development including skills. But we are not able to do so forever. We need you to gain skills and begin to implement," MEC Tlhape emphasised.
She further said the markets are available for produce. "We have signed MoU, with the South African National Defence Force regarding supply of produce to their various centres. We are going to do the same with our hospitals. It means you then need to produce so that these markets keep us as a supplier," she alluded.
MEC emphasised the need to extension and advisory services to all Farm workers cooperatives and committed to ensuring that the living conditions of the people are uplifted.
Meanwhile, the cleaning campaign was also held at Damonsville Township as part of the environmental conservation. MEC Tlhape said it was imperative to keep Bokone Bophirima clean. The cleaning campaign will continue in identified areas in the four districts of the province.
Enquiries:
Tsholofelo Dintwe
Acting Director: Communication Services
Tel: 018 389 5768
Cell: 083 576 7655/079 946 7486
E-mail: tsholofelod@nwpg.gov.za
