News highlights of 2021
January
TROPICAL STORM ELOISE
While some South African farmers received good rainfall over the weekend of 23 and 24 January, tropical storm Eloise resulted in several regions in neighbouring Mozambique being flooded or experiencing water damage. The storm resulted in about 13 deaths and displaced 7 000 people in that country, while approximately 138 000ha of agricultural land were destroyed.
FIREARM RELICENSING AMNESTY
There was serious concern that farmers would be left defenceless after being required to hand in their firearms to the South African Police Service for the purposes of relicensing and ballistics testing as part of the current amnesty on firearms. The amnesty, which had been extended in 2020, was due to expire on 31 January 2021.
FARMERS OPPOSE HIGHER WAGES
Organised agriculture opposed the National Minimum Wage Commission’s recommendation that farmworkers’ wages be increased by as much as 16,1% to align them with the national minimum wage. The commission had argued that the sector had not been affected by the COVID-19-related lockdown as severely as the rest of the economy had.
LAND BANK LOSES BILLIONS
Financial losses at the Land Bank amounted to R2,8 billion for the year ended 31 March 2020, according to the bank’s financial statements released on 31 December 2020. This was 211% more than the total financial loss of R902 million reported in 2019. The Auditor-General issued a disclaimer saying that, due to lack of evidence, it could not reach a conclusive audit of the Land Bank.
February
LIQUOR BAN FALLOUT
Liquor industry stakeholders called on government to end the ban on liquor sales with immediate effect, as it threatened to cost thousands of jobs and billions of rands. In early January, President Cyril Ramaphosa had said the ban would be extended to 15 February to ease the burden on the healthcare system, which was buckling under the weight of rising COVID-19 cases.
UNTIMELY RAIN DESTROYS GRAPES
Intermittent rain during the festive season resulted in steep losses of table grapes,
