The South African Communist Party expects greater sacrifices from white farmers than from any other sector to help alleviate poverty in rural areas, farmer’s union Agri SA said on Thursday.
This followed a meeting between the two groups in Pretoria on Wednesday.
The SACP requested the meeting in order to discuss the speeding-up of land reform and poverty alleviation in the rural areas.
Agri SA president Lourie Bosman said it was clear from the meeting that the parties held different views on how the sector should make a contribution towards addressing poverty.
He said land reform and labour relations were based on market principles and respect for human rights.
However, SACP spokesperson Mazibuko Kanyiso Jara on Wednesday said the farming body was ”out of touch with the masses”.
Bosman argued that land reform should be based be on the willingness to participate in transformation within the sector, provided that the economic survival of existing role players was not adversely affected.
Although the SACP has handed over a memorandum of demands to Agri SA, Bosman said it was not clear what the party expected from them.
”Specific reference is made to the fact that research into the whole issue of land reform is required, which, in their opinion is needed to hold a land summit”
This included land for housing and subsistence farming.
”While Agri SA understands the implications of these issues, it is of the opinion that the national government and the economy in general should bear the cost of social upliftment,” Bosman said.
He said It was not for organised agriculture to bear these costs alone. – Sapa