DRDAR MEC vows to ensure efficient services
MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) Nonkqubela Pieters has vowed that no money will be left unspent as the Department works towards delivering excellent services to the people of the province.
The MEC was addressing stakeholders including farmers, commodity groups during a Post Policy Speech Stakeholder Engagement held after the tabling of the policy speech.
“I want to ensure you that all the pronouncements will be implemented. We are going to ensure that with every cent spent there’s an impact in terms of economic growth and employment. We will do what we said we will do,” she said.
MEC Pieters said the engagement was meant to debate robustly, be able to identify areas where a great work was performed and where things were not do well. She said It was the responsibility of all stakeholders to come up with clear recommendations on how to improve in areas where the department did not do well.
Head of Department Siphokazi Ndudane said: “I’d like to stress our commitment to continue to move with speed and achieve our plans. Agriculture is in the centre of rural wealth and economic development. We need to transform rural growth and employment and ensure that people have access to food.”
Ndudane vowed to end corruption and self-empowerment by ensuring resources of government are used for the benefit of the people.
“We’ve been hearing about the potential we have as the province but we need to graduate from that by using that potential to change the lives of the people, said Ndudane.
Speaking on behalf of workers, trade unionist Thembakazi Xoxo said officials will continue to serve the people to the best of their ability.
“We’ll be consistent and serve with excellence,” she added.
Some of the issues raised by the farmers included access to land and funding, frequent engagement with DRDAR management, research, training, infrastructure development and need for an Indaba.
MEC Pieters said the issues raised by farmers did not need “brilliant responses but farmers need implementation and that what we will do.”
She said she would convene an Indaba that would also include potential investors.