CHAPTER 3: LAND REFORM PROJECTS REVIEW
3.14. Lobbying and Advocacy
53 Technology transfer
Information
Protection of member interests (MPO, 2011).
3.13.13. NAFCOC: National African Federated Chamber of Commerce
NAFCOC was formed in 1964 in response to the need by informal black trading organizations to continuously harness their business acumen and business management skills and raise the level of business opportunities awareness amongst their members. NAFCOC has a strong presence and this has as impact when tackling business issues and concerns. The organization’s strategic vision has evolved over the years.
54
NAFU WC is a registered Section 21 Company established with the primary objective to fast track land reform and to promote the interest of black farmers, whether emerging or commercial, in the Western Cape. The organization endeavours to achieve these objectives by facilitating and rendering a wide range of programmes and services for and on behalf of black farmers and other vulnerable groups such as youth, women, people living with disabilities and farm workers. Programmes and services range from capacity building, enterprise development, preferential procurement, farmer support and leadership training, whilst focus is also geared at social development and life skills training. These interventions should result in equitable access to and meaningful transformation of the agricultural sector in general.
NAFU WC firmly believes that equitable land transformation and ownership, skills development and employment equity are key requirements for meaningful economic empowerment and social transformation in the agricultural sector, and can lead to sustainable growth and wealth creation for all stakeholders. It therefore aims to facilitate and implement relevant land reform projects and training programmes that will enable its beneficiaries to participate in and benefit from empowerment initiatives across the value chain, the Score Card and the Codes of Good Practice of the BBBEE Act. The outcome of these interventions must be meaningful and sustainable employment and potential entrepreneurial development, as well as redressing the social context in which the organization is operating in. NAFU WC’s interventions have a clear bias toward black emerging and commercial farmers in the Western Cape, with specific reference to women and youth, whilst also ensuring that the agricultural aspirations of people with disabilities are taken into account. The organization includes life skills training and community development simultaneously with vocational skills training as an integrated approach to skills development, and thereby ensuring a holistic response to skills development, poverty alleviation, food security and job creation.
NAFU WC has already initiated a number of successful projects ranging from developing a data base of black emerging farmers, capacity building, leadership support, social inclusion and networking. It
55
has established working relationships with key role players such as the Land Bank, National and Provincial Government departments, para-statal institutions and international organizations. It also provides support to its members and affiliates in relation to organizational development, infrastructure and operational resources.
NAFU WC represents a large number of black emerging farmers operating in the agricultural sector and has successfully established relationships with all relevant stakeholders in the sector. It has also formed strategic networks and alliances with progressive institutions and service providers with whom it cooperates and is supported by to ensure the successful implementation of its programmes and to achieve its objectives. It has also successfully engaged and received support by the National and Provincial Department of Agriculture, Labour and Economic Affairs, as well as international organizations.
NAFU WC has appropriate skilled and knowledgeable staff in the respective fields of operation of the organization, and who are committed to the implementation of the organization’s programmes so as to ensure that it, together with other relevant stakeholders and partners achieve the objectives of government. They complement each other with their different educational and practical skills and competencies ranging from organizational development, community capacity building, economic development facilitation, financial planning, administration and skills development facilitation. The organization through its structures has direct access to relevant employers, services providers and beneficiaries that it targets (NAFU, 2011).
3.14.2. RPO: Red Meat Producers’ Organisation
The Red Meat Producers' Organisation (RPO) is a service organisation that acts as a mouthpiece for South African commercial red meat producers, and promotes sustainability and the profitability of the red meat industry in South Africa.
56
It is an independent producer’s organisation that strives to dynamically promote the sustainability and the profitability of the red meat industry in South Africa. Their mission, namely the promotion of a sustainable and profitable red meat industry in South Africa, is operationalised through their bargaining and consultation with government and other organisations in order to further the interests of the red meat producer, locally as well as internationally (RPO, 2011).
3.14.3. SAMIC: South African Meat Industry Company
SAMIC is a quality assurance company which was created by the Red Meat Industry of South Africa to ensure the quality and safety of meat in South Africa. SAMIC believe in world class standards of quality audits, inspections and outstanding service performance.
The National Department of Agriculture appointed SAMIC as Assignee for the purpose of the application of sections 3(1)(a) and (b) and 8 of the Agricultural Product Standards Act (no 119 of 1990) with regards to the classification and marking of meat intended for sale in the Republic of South Africa. The SAMIC coordinators operating across the country perform this duty with full commitment to consumers, farmers, abattoir owners and meat traders to always ensure 100% integrity in their products – beef, lamb and pork. It is therefore important that no fraudulent activities go unpunished and that the playing field stays level.
They do independent ‘Brand’ auditing on trademarks at farms, feedlots, abattoirs, deboning plants and outlets. These trademarks are all registered at the National Department of Agriculture.
They do independent hides and skins audits on behalf of the National Department of Agriculture for export purposes at abattoirs, intermediate stores as well as at harbours.
They assess meat classifier students to become qualified meat classifiers.
They undertake independent inspections at all abattoirs, meat traders, imported meat and hide and skins plants for Red Meat Levy purposes.
In addition, they hold and judge national carcass competitions to demonstrate to producers what the market requirements and consumer demands are (SAMIC, 2011).
57