Kwanalu calls on farmer organisations to better represent members

His comments follow AgriSA’s annual congress on 14 October, where the organisation endorsed five policy mandates and committed to measuring its progress in terms of tangible outcomes for farmers.

Responding to Farmer’s Weekly after a video message to KwaZulu-Natal farmers, Reitz said frustration could arise when farmers were uncertain about who represented their interests.

“This uncertainty can lead to frustration and despondency. Kwanalu’s role is to ensure that farmers are not left to face these challenges alone,” he said.

Reitz described Kwanalu as a farmer-driven organisation whose responsibility was to represent members at every level.

“We want to see a stronger, more effective institutional structure, from the farm gate to the highest levels of decision-making.”

AgriSA declined to comment on the questions put to it, saying it was against its policy to discuss member matters in public.

Kwanalu is a long-standing member of AgriSA, and Reitz said the association had helped shape the national organisation’s policy positions.

He added that the priorities highlighted in his video reflected issues that were important to its members and would guide its work.

“Our positions must be clear, unambiguous, and firmly grounded in the mandates given to us by our members.

“Kwanalu will partner with organisations on specific issues where there is alignment of objectives and a shared commitment to achieving the same outcomes,” Reitz said.

Kwanalu’s highlighted priorities include opposition to land expropriation without compensation, protection of property ownership and productive agricultural land, improved infrastructure, and action on excessive municipal rates and poor service delivery.

Reitz said the organisation also supports a statutory mechanism against illegal occupation, an integrated law-enforcement strategy, protection of lawful firearm ownership, and recognition of farm attacks as a priority crime.

Other priorities include opposition to race-based discrimination in licensing, legislation, and employment; evidence-based, sector-sensitive wage determination; and reducing unnecessary regulation.

In his video, Reitz urged farmers to participate in their local associations and ensure their committees were active.

He outlined a WhatsApp communication group involving association representatives and Kwanalu board members, aimed at helping associations share solutions and take concerns to provincial leadership.

The approach will allow associations to learn from solutions implemented in other districts, while giving Kwanalu information to escalate matters requiring intervention.

Reitz also encouraged farmers to engage with committee members, attend association meetings, and become involved where local structures were inactive.

In his written response to Farmer’s Weekly, he said Kwanalu had established working relationships across government to ensure members’ concerns were escalated and addressed, acknowledging, however, that improvements were needed.

“Government must be held accountable, and we welcome more open, constructive engagement that leads to meaningful outcomes on issues requiring urgent attention, including roads and infrastructure.”

Speaking at the congress, Reitz emphasised the responsibility of farmer organisations to remain guided by their members.

“We must speak with conviction, act on our mandates, and remain united in advancing the interests of KwaZulu-Natal’s farmers,” he said.