Presidential Agriculture Envoy in effect a presidential motion of no confidence in his own ministers

Image: Farming Portal

The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) wishes to congratulate President Cyril Ramaphosa’s new “Envoy on Agriculture and Land”, Mr Wandile Sihlobo, on his appointment.    

Sihlobo is well-known in agricultural circles and already has numerous publications – both scientific and popular – to his name. He is also involved with Agbiz as well as Stellenbosch University. 

His realistic approach to land reform often helps to calm down volatile debates. The complex relationships between established and emerging farmers, between farming on private and communal land as well as between academia and practice are also topics Sihlobo has intelligently commented on.

The appointment raises eyebrows, though, because it is difficult to distinguish his role from that of the relevant ministers. The Department of Agriculture and Land Reform is in the process of splitting, and there are already two Ministers and two Directors-General: one for Agriculture (the DA’s Mr John Steenhuisen) and one for Land Reform and Rural Development (the PAC’s Mr Mzwanele Nyontsho).   

Neither of the two has done much to impress since being appointed.

Public confidence in Steenhuisen crumbled with his poor handling of the foot-and-mouth disease disaster, which is totally out of control. And so far, Nyontsho has not been able to get land reform off the ground.

In the Freedom Front Plus's view, the President should not establish yet another department under his own authority – in this case, by appointing a special envoy. Instead, it would be better to simply appoint competent ministers.