Premier Mabuza urges sugar association to maximise job opportunities
13 August 2013
Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza has urged the South
African Sugar Association [SASA] to maximise job opportunities for the
sugarcane growers in the province.
Premier Mabuza was speaking at a meeting today
[Tuesday, 13 August 2013] in Nelspruit with the executive members of the
association.
Mabuza said, the industry was still difficult for the
small growers irrespective of the provincial government’s efforts and
assistance with the infrastructure.
“As a provincial government, we have supported the small growers of sugarcane in terms of irrigation infrastructure, but they still have not yet made a breakthrough. We are mindful that we must make this industry to grow, but there is still a huge challenge for the small growers.
“The Association must find a way of dealing with this situation for our small growers in all aspects of the value chain. As a government we have put the infrastructure in the fields, but they [small growers] get out of the process with absolutely nothing,” said Mabuza.
He added that he would further engage the traditional
leaders to release more land for sugar cane farming in an effort to assist
the small growers. He said the small growers needed enough land for planting
sugar cane in order to make it in the industry which was previously
predominated by established organisations.
“There is a need that you should think of a model in a communal land that involves both cooperatives and the traditional leaders in benefiting the communities. Giving small growers few hectares of land for growing sugar cane does not uplift their businesses in this industry, otherwise you are just allowing them to die on your face,” said Mabuza.
The Association had visited the Premier to seek
provincial government’s support while at the same time strengthening the
relations with the province since it produces at least 30 percent of sugar.
Leading the delegation, SASA Chairman Bongani Linda
told the Premier that currently the total production of sugar was going
down.
“As an industry, we are at a time where we feel we are at the lowest, hence our decision to involve government. We feel that there are solutions out there that could elevate this industry to what it used to be.
“We are lobbying government to assist us to have access to European Union premium markets and to have access to electricity market. Our industry has a potential to produce the energy which is equivalent of 1.75 million tons of coal which we could use in our factories and distribute to local municipalities,” said Linda.
He explained that sugarcane was the second largest
South African field crop by gross value after the maze. Sugarcane production
represented 17.4 percent of total gross annual field crop production value.
According to Linda, sugar was mainly produced in
KwaZulu-Natal and in Mpumalanga. Mpumalanga has two millers and both are
built in the Nkomazi Municipality. The same province was also exporting at
least 15 percent of sugar through Mozambique’s sugar terminal.
“This industry is crucial for rural development; we appreciate the provincial Department of Agriculture Rural Development and Land Administration for their assistance, many of the small farmers work on the restituted land,” said Linda.
Linda added that the sugar industry contributed a
total average income of R12 billion and created 79 000 direct and indirect
job opportunities.
Meanwhile Premier Mabuza said the provincial
government supported the Association in principle pending their proposal for
the renewable energy.
Issued by Zibonele Mncwango
Spokesperson: Mpumalanga Premier
Mpumalanga Provincial Government
Tel: (013) 766 – 2453
Mobile: 079 491 0163
