Five Southern African states could soon be dominated by the United States’s business interests. Free trade talks start next month between the US and the Southern African Customs Union trade bloc of South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Namibia.

Agricultural experts fear that adverse weather and government policies could soon expose South Africans to the kind of famine that is devastating communities in neighbouring countries. El Niño caused unusually dry conditions in the southern hemisphere.

As the Cabinet grapples with the effects of food price inflation, especially on poor households, red tape has snarled the introduction of new grain import tariffs that would reduce the price of bread and maize meal. The tariffs would allow wheat and maize to be imported more cheaply.

Commercial banks are up in arms over the Land and Agricultural Development Bank Act passed recently, which bankers say was intended to shield the Land Bank from land invasions. The Act allows the Land Bank to claim all the income of any farmer who falls into arrears with it.

In the Mail & Guardian of August 23 2002,a statement was made that the Semenya commission fingered advocate Seth Nthai over R5-million that was overspent on a building. This statement was not made by the journalist Donwald Pressley, but was included during the editorial process.

Almost no maize is moving to famine-stricken parts of Southern Africa — despite estimates that 12,6-million people in the region are in dire need of the staple food.

In a planned policy turnaround that is stirring fierce controversy, the Department of Agriculture is considering a return to statutory controls over agricultural products. This is prompted by government concerns about food prices.