Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Roy Jankielsohn MPL and Sesotho soundbite by Jafta Mokoena MPL
The AgriParks and Farmer Producer Support Units (FPSU) in the Free State that were initiated between 2019 and 2022 have cost taxpayers R57 137 876,00 with little to show for this investment in terms of outputs or jobs. They appear to have been irrigated with public funds but have experienced serious value-for-money droughts.
In reply to a question by the DA in the Free State Legislature, the MEC responsible for Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), Ms Elzabe Rockman, indicated that of seven AgriPark and FPSUs, only two are operational (Makholokoeng and Zastron), two are partially operational (Kroonstad and Ficksburg) and three are non-operational. (See images of the Makholokoeng FPSU in 2022 here, here and here)
Investments in the AgriParks/FPSUs require further investigation, particularly the R35 629 413,00 spent on the three non-operational AgriParks/FPSUs.
- The Odendaalsrus FPSU that was irrigated with R18 669 313,00 and is non-operational because of a lack of water and electricity connections, machinery and implements.
- Sediba FPSU cost R16 206 609,00 and is non-operational due to conflicts with the community.
- Springfontein Agripark cost R753 491,00 and is non-operational due to a lack of consensus on operations at the facility.
The reasons given for their failures indicate a serious lack of management and oversight within the Free State DARD.
With more than R57 million spent, only 71 permanent jobs and 180 seasonal and temporary jobs have been created. Of the 71 permanent jobs, 51 are for security, and 10 are administrative officials, while a further 10 are involved in physical agricultural production as tractor drivers. This works out to an investment of R804 578,81 per permanent employee.
The DA will submit further questions on the exact expenditure per project and request that the Free State Legislature Portfolio Committee responsible for the DARD interrogate these FPSUs further in terms of value for money and jobs created.