MEDIAVERKLARING

TLU SA

Moet boere bly of ry?

TLU SA se Uitvoerende Komitee het kennis geneem van die ANC se aandrang dat grond sonder vergoeding gevat moet word en dat hy die land se Grondwet sal wysig om in belang van sy Nasionale Demokratiese Revolusie (NDR) daarvoor voorsiening te maak.

“Ons neem kennis en verstaan die onlangse uitlatings oor nasionalisering en grondbesit,” sê TLU SA se president, mnr. Ben Marais. “Dit beteken nie dat ons as boere goedsmoeds ons grond wat ons deur jare opgebou en bewerk het, aan enigiemand gaan afstaan sonder vergoeding nie.  Individuele eiendomsreg word internasionaal erken en beskerm, en elke boer sal daardie reg met hand en tand beskerm,” sê mnr. Marais. “Ons weier om langer daarvan beskuldig te word dat ons grond gesteel het. Internasionale geskiedskrywers het op grond van opgetekende dokumentasie al bewys dat boere hulle grond op wettige wyse bekom het, en ons volstaan daarby.”

“Wat ons betref het die ANC die streep getrek, enersyds met hulle uitdruklike dreigemente, en andersyds deur hulle stilswyende aanvaarding van dié standpunte. Daarvan moet Suid-Afrika en die internasionale gemeenskap kennis neem. Die ANC sal self die gevolge moet aanvaar as hulle met hierdie diefstal-proses wil voortgaan, en sal self aan sy mense moet verduidelik as daar ‘n kosskaarste sou ontstaan.“

“Intussen moedig ons boere aan om hulleself te beveilig, en hulleself binne die bepalings van die wet te organiseer om gebiedsveiligheid te bevorder. Ons hoef nie toe te laat dat ons grond dalk onwettig beset word en ons lewe en eiendom in gevaar gestel word nie. Ons doen ook ‘n beroep op alle boere om na mekaar uit te reik, mekaar se belange te beskerm, met mekaar saam te werk en mekaar te help beveilig,” sê mnr. Marais.

“Ons daag die president, mnr. Jacob Zuma en sy kabinet uit om ondubbelsinnig standpunt in te neem. Dit is nou tyd om die toekoms vierkantig in die oë te kyk. Die basiese vrae wat beantwoord moet word is of die regering en sy affiliasies al die burgers van hierdie land as ware gelykes onder die Grondwet ag, en of die land die kapasiteit het om ‘n toenemende groeiende bevolking te voed wanneer al hoe minder kommersiële boere moontlik ‘n toekoms elders in die wêreld te oorweeg?”, vra mnr. Marais.

Dit is belangrik dat ‘n breë linie van belanghebbendes byeen gebring word met die oog daarop om oor oplossings te besin.

 

Should farmers stay or go?

 

The Executive Committee of TAU SA has taken note of the ANC’s demand that land should be expropriated without compensation and that the Constitution should be amended to serve the interest of the National Democratic Revolution.

“We take note and understand the recent utterances about nationalisation and ownership of land,” Mr Ben Marais, president of TAU SA said. “That does not mean that we as farmers will relinquish our land which we have preserved and tilled over many years, without any compensation. Private ownership is internationally recognised and protected, and farmers we will defend such rights,” Mr Marais said. “We will not accept accusations that we have stolen land. Based on recorded history, international historians have substantiated the view that farmers have acquired their land legitimately, and we stand by that.”

“As far as we are concerned, the ANC has drawn the line, both in terms of their explicit threats as well as the silent support for such points of view. South Africa and the international community should take note of this. The ANC will have to bear the consequences should they continue with grand theft and they will have to explain the subsequent shortage of food.”

“In the mean time, we recommend that farmers take the necessary safety precautions and to promote rural safety within the limits of the law. We need not allow that our farms are to be illegally occupied thus threatening life and property. We also call on farmers to reach out to each other, to protect each others’ interests and to cooperate to promote mutual safety and security,” Mr Marais said.

“We challenge the president, Mr. Jacob Zuma and his cabinet to be quite clear about this. The time has come to face future consequences without flinching. The basic questions which need to be answered is whether the government and its’ affiliates regard all the citizens of this country as true equals under the Constitution and does the country have the capacity to feed a growing population should a decreasing number commercial farmers consider seeking a future elsewhere in the world?”, Mr Marais asks.

It is imperative to involve a broad alliance of stakeholders to consider solutions.