Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Senzeni Zokwana has met with Kgoshi Mokopa Makgoba and the two have agreed to work together to resolve concerns around the resettlement of the Makgoba community.
The community was resettled in 2008 in Limpopo. Approximately 40 farms in the Tzaneen area, comprising highly productive avocado, mango, banana, litchi and the sub-tropical fruits, were given to the Makgoba people as a flagship land restitution programme to spearhead government’s intention to redress the land deprivation of the apartheid policies.
At their meeting on Monday, Minister Zokwana committed to working with the Makgoba community to resolve the concerns they have raised.
“We spend more time fighting amongst ourselves instead of fighting against poverty in our communities. Communities must put land under their possession into production. We need to deal with unemployment in our communities and empower our young people and women to be more active in the agriculture sector,” he said.
The Minister said agriculture has the potential to create employment.
“Our partnership with traditional leadership and private companies will see us bringing more hectares into production. Agriculture is the driver of economic growth in rural areas and has the highest potential to create employment in the country.
“The role of traditional leaders is one that we respect as government and working together we can revive rural communities. We are moving South Africa forward and are hopeful that this gathering will move us forward,” said the Minister. – SAnews.gov.za
