The Department of Transport has placed a moratorium on Hi-cube 40ft containers. If these containers exceed 4.3 metres from the road surface to the top, they are considered illegal in South Africa. Hi-cube 40ft make around 75% of worldwide container cargo and for the fruits exporters this was peak season and they were in demand for use. Government had contended that these containers were unstable as trucks over turn carrying these standard boxes and damage bridges. The Fruit Exporters Forum was not impressed by this line of logic and its members are set to lose billions if a grace leave is not signed by the Transport DG who is currently on leave.
What do we know about digital? Agricultural Ministers from 71 nations met in Berlin on 18 January 2020 on the platform of The Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA). The forum endorsed the FAO and the other International Organisations for “developing a concept for the establishment of an International Digital Council for Food and Agriculture.” Interesting to figure how South Africa will contribute as we are always late to the table; wink wink digital migration.
Deliver us from Mboweni. Our Finance Minister Tito Mboweni is mischievous. He should come outright and support the legalising of cannabis than playing tweet games with the nation. We also want to be rich ‘tsha tsha’.
We are planning bananas. Business Unity South Africa President Sipho Pityana shook the dust of his shoulders at the opening of the Business Economic Indaba 2020. He looked down on President Ramaphosa and his cabinet and said: “We surely have enough technical committees, task teams, Presidential commissions — including the planning commission whose recommendations gather dust in the presidency — summits, conferences and Lekgotlas, etc. Too many processes and little or no action.” Man, it reminds me of the Poultry Master Plan – still no word.
Land Bank what’s not balancing. The Board of Land Bank clearly understands little about corporate governance. It has been sleeping and enjoying the perks of attending boardroom meetings and have completely forgotten to find a permanent CEO a 1 year and some months since Tskololo Nchonchodeparture to IDC. Sydney Soundey will be the 3rd person to act as CEO after the departure Konehali Gugushe.
Minister Unites the livestock industry. The Livestock Auctioneers and farmers took the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Thoko Didiza to court over the ban of livestock auctions after the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). Unknowingly for the Minister, the move to even gazette the ban sent jitters around and now worst enemies have come together to fight the gazette.
Gu’sazoba Lit in Parliament. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has for years remained delusional over agriculture providing poor policy inputs. Last week government officials and clever blacks were shocked and defeated that renowned agriculturalist banker Noko Masipa was now a DA MPL. Noko worked at the Land Bank for a number of years and knows agricultural policy and development like the lyrics of Michael Jackson Bad. Hold on your stripe’s folks, the DA is now sitting in tigers’ teeth.
