© Siphiwe Sibeko / Reuters
Ramodisa Monaisa spoke at parliamentary hearings on land reform to urge the government not to amend the constitution to allow land expropriation without compensation. "You will give us land and you will render us useless," said Monaisa, as quoted by a South African weekly newspaper The Mail & Guardian.
Monaisa has been cultivating the land owned by the department of rural development for 15 years and says he knows what it means to be a black farmer in South Africa. The government body made it possible for Monaisa to start his farming business, but he is reportedly able to employ just one person on his farm.
Not having enough money, the farmer failed to make much progress with commercial farming, losing out to agricultural businesses bolstered by financial support from South African lenders.
"I've tried commercial banks but, because of my credit score, it is so difficult to get a loan, and the Land Bank uses the same scale," Monaisa said. "The biggest problem is, as black farmers, we have become unable to perform. As if we cannot work. If we can get funding like commercial white farmers, we can do it."
Monaisa's submission was made as a beneficiary of Grain SA, a voluntary and non-profit organization for grain farmers. The organization provides skills and financial support when possible to the country's grain producers.
The submission reportedly attracted the attention of South African lawmakers, as Monaisa pleaded with the parliament to leave section 25 of the constitution unchanged. He stressed that, without financial support, black farmers can do nothing with the land they might get if the controversial land reform is implemented the way it is planned.
Owning of the land alone cannot keep black farmers afloat, according to Grain SA Chief Executive Jannie de Villiers, who said that small black farming enterprises need to cooperate with commercial farmers.
"Land alone will not restore the dignity of those that were negatively affected by the previous dispensation," De Villiers said. "Partnerships and joint ventures with current commercials farmers are also key to gain quick ground in this regard."
On Tuesday, the Constitutional Review Committee in parliament began four days of hearing oral submissions from institutions on whether section 25 of the constitution should be amended. The change in the law would allow confiscation of land from white farmers without compensation.
Good things have happened here too though.
There are so many black South Africans who are doing extremely well, sending their children to private schools. Living the Life.
Such a good sign for the future.
If the ANC would do this in a gradual way, train people who want to farm and back them financially this could work.
But they're more interested in lining their own pockets than working for the people they are supposed be representing.
Just like they have been since they took over,.
And they seem to have forgotten that racial exclusion does not work.
Just look into the past.
For that matter just look at Zimbabwe.
Divide and conquer to get the crowd going and make it look like they are doing something.
Its the white people this, its the white people that... blah, blah, blah
I remember Margret Thatcher doing the same damn thing the whole 18 years she was in power.
Any problems and it was because of the previous governments policies.
18 YEARS!!
While we are fighting with each other, resenting each other we are not seeing them for who they really are.
Self interested criminals.
Why is is that the absolutely fucking worst people get into power?
And we vote for them!!
I'm having a WTF moment.
Deeep breath