The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape reiterates our call on the MEC of Agriculture, Mase Manopole to only avail funding to beneficiaries with sustainable business plans if she wants the commercialization and transformation of the agricultural sector to have any hope of succeeding in the province.
After failing for 20 years to become a sustainable entity, Kalahari Kid Corporation (KKC) continues to receive millions in funding from the department, without producing the desired results. This, while the actual farmers are still struggling to obtain their own farming land and increase breeding material for the purposes of building stock.
It came to light during the Annual Report presentation for the 2022/2023 financial year that the entity’s expenses again far exceed its allocations and it is experiencing major capacity constraints. The entity is also failing to assist emerging goat farmers to gain access to the market and empower them with more skills and knowledge on goat farming.
While KKC received over R2.7 million for the previous financial year, it is shocking to learn that this entity cannot provide for itself with expenses of over R6 million.
The sales of a mere 182 goats, is a sharp decrease from the 477 sold in 2021/2022. The entity further also only managed to provide market related assistance to 28 emerging goat farmers, 65 less than in the 2021/2022 financial year.
We are especially concerned that KKC is operating without a Board due to awaiting the process of merging into a larger entity with no guarantee of a better outcome.
KKC is clearly unable to sustain itself, even with the help from its mother department to alleviate its major capacity constraints.
We do not accept the excuse from the Department of Agriculture that this entity cannot reach its targets due to the uncertainties brought about by the continuous rationalisation process not being finalised.
For the province to succeed with the commercialisation and transforming of goat farming, the provincial government must consider better models to support the agricultural sector, or cut its losses and scrap the beneficiation of worthless entities altogether.
We cannot afford entities or beneficiaries of state funds operating as cashcows at the expense of hardworking taxpayers, especially when the country is gripped with high costs of living and rising unemployment.