According to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Economic Development, Small Business, Sport, Arts and Culture, Thabo Meeko, more still needs to be done to assist farmers, particularly upcoming farmers. 

This, as the Free State Legislature Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Rural, Economic Development, Small Business, Sport, Arts, and Culture together with Parliament Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries embarks on a week-long provincial oversight visit. 

Meeko says following the visit to farms in the areas of Thaba 'Nchu, Botshabelo, Fickburg, and Welkom amongst others, a report will soon be tabled in the legislature to see how farmers in these areas can be assisted. 

The visit comes just a few weeks after Premier Sisi Ntombela had a mass meeting with farmers in the province, where they expressed concerns over drought, stock theft and lack of funding amongst other issues.

The committee will tomorrow visit the controversial Vrede dairy farm. 

This farm has made national headlines following allegations that more than R250 million has been siphoned out of the Free State government and a large portion of it used to fund the Gupta family’s Sun City Wedding in 2013.

OFM News