SHOCKING DEPARTURE OF THE NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DIRECTOR GENERAL MS BONGIE NJOBE
13 Jan 2005
The National Emergent Red Meat Producers Organisation (NERPO) has learnt with shock that Ms Bongie Njobe, a Director General of the National Department of Agriculture has resigned. These news come at a very crucial stage in the agricultural industry as there are preceded by major interventions made by government in a clear mission to ensure a viable and sustainable agriculture, and they poses a major challenge to government, industry role players and the agricultural broader clientele.
Behind the accomplishments on the initiation and implementation of all the policy, legislative and operational measures made by government in the agricultural sector, was a determined and innovative drive led by the outgoing Director General Ms Bongie Njobe. Amongst these milestones was the recent tabling of a draft document on the Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment in Agriculture (AgriBEE). This draft document evidenced a great deal of work dedicated by the team led by the outgoing DG. It is a document that has featured most of all empowerment of the historically disadvantaged farming community, and is to “create an enabling environment for the emerging farmers to farm profitable in the mainstream value chain of the agricultural sector in order to ensure her viability and sustainability”.
Ms Njobe is a team player who has managed to successfully mobilised a broader clientele of the agricultural sector ranging from communal and/or emerging farmers, commercialised farming community, commodity groups, financial institutions, local and international role players of agriculture, and all other stakeholders who could play a meaningful role in the sector, and she has done that in an effort to create “a sense of unity of purpose” towards ensuring viability and sustainability of the sector.
These accomplishments are nothing else but a clear statement to the nation that “a foundation has been laid and some work needs to be done”. It is against this background that we call upon the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs Ms Thoko Didiza to speedily replace the outgoing DG at least by the 01st April 2004. We reaffirm that Agriculture is a cornerstone of the country’s economy and for this reason should and must always be a priority to government. In that we would be paying a fitting tribute to dedicated hands who work tirelessly to ensure the viability and sustainability of the sector.
End.
Enquiries:
Mr. Aggrey Mahanjana
Group Managing Director: NERPO
Tel : +27 (0) 12 361 9127
Fax : +27 (0) 12 361 4430
Cell : +27 (0) 82 556 7297
Or
Siyabulela wakwa-Makunga
Manager: Institutional Capacity Building, Marketing & Corporate Communications
National Emergent Red Meat Producers Organisation
Tel : +27 (0) 12 361 9127
Fax : +27 (0) 12 361 4430
Cell : +27 (0) 82 483 7155
Email : siyabulelam@nerpo.org.za website www.nerpo.org.za
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