Deputy President, Paul Mashatile has implored farmers at the NAMPO Harvest Day held in Bothaville, Free State, to join forces with government and address challenges in the Agriculture sector.
He sought to discourage white farmers considering migrating to other countries against the move.
Mashatile’s comments come amid the recent relocation of 49 so-called Afrikaners refugees to the US, under false claims of a white genocide in South Africa.
Addressing the media on the sidelines of the NAMPO event, Mashatile shared the insights of the farmers he engaged with, also adding their appeal for collaborative efforts towards improved Agricultural conditions.
“Well, the farmers that we met here today are saying they’re happy to stay in South Africa and all they need is for us to work with them to address challenges they face. One of them is rural roads. They want us to work with them to deal with that. Then there’s rural safety, because we know over the years people in the farming communities have been attacked, crime is rife. They want us to work with them on that so that we can deal with those issues,” Mashatile remarked.
The Donald Trump administration remains steadfast on its beliefs regarding discrimination against white people in South Africa.
President Cyril Ramaphosa hopes to set the record straight when he embarks on a working visit to Washington D.C., next Wednesday.
Furthermore, the Deputy President reaffirmed government’s commitment to enhance partnership with farmers as he believes it will lead to job creation, economic growth and bolster food security to address the challenges.
