Tina's secrecy will affect thousands of farmworker jobs

Tina Joemat-Pettersson's refusal to release World Health Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) reports, which contain the reasons for the ban on South African meat exports to the European Union (EU), places at risk the jobs of thousands of farmworkers across South Africa. 

In a statement, the Minister has argued that the report and the ban on South African meat exports "only refers to a handful of people". 

The Minister has once again displayed her embarrassing lack of knowledge of South Africa's agricultural industry.

According to a report compiled by her own Department, which she clearly has not read, these are the facts about animal-product related agricultural produce in South Africa:

• The gross value of animal products produced in South Africa is approximately R65 billion per annum;
• The livestock sector contributes up to 49% of agricultural output in the country and accounts for 85% of the country's meat requirements; and
• Approximately 8,5 million people depend directly or indirectly on agriculture for their employment and income.  

Her argument therefore, that the OIE reports and the reasons for the ban on South Africa's meat exports only affect a handful of people does not hold water. 

If the ban on our meat exports is not lifted, the whole sector could be destroyed, thousands of farmworkers, and those in animal-product related industries could lose their jobs.

The ban on South African meat and poultry products will not be lifted until the Minister successfully ensures that all recommendations in the OIE reports are adhered to. She however insists on keeping the contents of the reports secret. If the reports are not damning or of any importance whatsoever, why does she continue to keep them secret? 

In October this year the OIE will return to reassess whether its recommendations have been adhered to and determine whether these bans can be lifted or not. It is therefore imperative that Minister Joemat-Pettersson acts with urgency. 

In a parliamentary reply in the last year the Minister undertook to make the reports available to all interested stakeholders. A year later, the reports have been withheld from public scrutiny. 

It is evident that not only do the reports exist and in the possession of the Department, but there has been an attempt to cover up the Minister's incompetency and ensure that they are withheld from the public. These attempts have however failed. 

I have already written to the OIE directly and requested for the report to be made available to the DA. 

Clearly Minister Joemat-Pettersson is failing to deliver on her promises. If she cannot manage in her position she must be relieved of her responsibility as a public servant and replaced without delay. 

Statement issued by Annette Steyn MP, DA Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries, September 18 2013

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