Master of Ceremonies and facilitator of this meeting Rev. E. Stegen, the Mayor of Umvoti, Mr Ngubane, members of the farming community present, my brothers and sisters.

Allow me to express a word of appreciation to Rev. Stegen for the pivotal role he played in facilitating this important outreach meeting. Rev. Stegen's personality is such that he would not miss the opportunity of promoting fellowship among men and women of goodwill in our province.

Let me dispel any apprehensions and doubts which may have existed in the minds of some people about the purpose of this meeting. Let me assure you that I have decided on my own to initiate this outreach meeting with members of the German farming community. This indeed sets the stage for future interactions between us as key role-players in shaping the future of this beautiful province of KwaZulu Natal.

There is no gainsaying that the German community has, over the years, contributed immensely to the development of this province. We owe it to the German pioneers who braved the odds and sacrificed the comforts of their motherland and established German settlements in different parts of this province. I am reliably informed that the first German settlers in KwaZulu Natal were young men. It was only later that the German government set in motion a process which resulted in German ladies volunteering to come and live in KwaZulu Natal. Through natural forces of attraction and love the new German contingent found their life partners. Hence German families developed.

The missionary zeal of the Germans found expression in the establishment of mission stations which in turn gave rise to schools and hospitals. We are proud of the contribution made by Germans in these areas of human endeavour.

The coupling of Christian values to the norms and culture of the indigenous people shaped and moulded the character of our people. The strong Christian ethic emphasised service in both our schools and hospitals. The products of German missionary schools like some of us have influenced the lives of the young generation. We are proud of members of the nursing profession who imbibed Christian values and norms which are on the decline today. If one had a choice in the matter, one would campaign for the restoration of the missionary tradition in all our schools and health-care facilities.

Let me address the purpose of this meeting. As Premier I am obliged to reach out to all sectors of the community of this province irrespective of their cultural, linguistic, religious and ethnic background. I move from the premise that all of us are members of the human family and that together we can make a difference in this province. Over the past four years I have not been able to translate this ideal into reality. Today we are laying the foundations for this broad concept of a shared responsibility as citizens of this province.

It is my humble submission that the first step that we are embarking upon today will inspire many men and women of goodwill to strive to cultivate the spirit of caring. I am talking here of the spirit of good neighbourliness.

I am concerned about the plight of the farming community in general throughout this province. We do not want a second Zimbabwe in this province. The farming community should feel free to exercise their skills in improving agricultural yields. All of us carry the responsibility of building confidence and lowering the anxieties caused by fear and threats against the lives of the farming community.

As Premier of this province I offer my services to serve as a conduit of transmitting your concerns to the National Minister of Land Affairs and Agriculture. A desperate person will cease every opportunity which may ameliorate an apparently desperate situation. I hope that the hand of friendship that I offer to all of you gathered her today will be accepted in good faith. As an optimist I hope that our cooperation in the fight against farmer attacks and threats of the invasion of white farms will be crowned with success.

We challenge the National government to adopt a democratic and equitable policy in the release of state land in this province. The much vaunted land reform policy should now be implemented expeditiously. It is unacceptable that commercial farmers should live and work in conditions of uncertainty. 

The confidence building exercise demands clear policy implementation, consultation with affected parties and the setting up of achievable time frames.

Rural underdevelopment, poverty and starvation are realities in this province. We need to take bold decisions in order to alleviate the plight of the poor people. As a province we should collectively develop programmes which will bring relief and build confidence among the depressed communities. We appeal to the industrial and commercial sector to invest in the development of agricultural skills and entrepreneurial skills among small farmers.

Commercial farming contributes to the economy of the country. We acknowledge that commercial farmers make food production their concern. The area of concern remains the food production potential of the small farmers who represent the previously neglected and disadvantaged sector. We are not convinced that enough is being done to empower small farmers with modern production skills and farming machinery. It is our view that the greatest challenge facing the farming sector is the improvement of production levels of the small farmers. We take the view that the sharing of knowledge and skills between the commercial farmers and their counterparts will build confidence in subsistence farming and improve yields.

We appeal for the permeation of the culture of partnership and mutual support between the farming community and the labour component. Productive farming demands mutual respect and understanding between the two parties.

Any form of cruelty and brutality cannot be condoned. In the same vein we appeal for decency and reasonableness on the part of farm labour. We are optimistic that humane relations are possible and achievable provided both parties commit themselves to this objective.

The KwaZulu Natal Government condemns the spate of killings of farmers and members of their families. No decent society will tolerate this type of behaviour. We assure farmers that our government will take steps to uphold the rule of law on farms. Our government supports farmer initiatives such as neighbourhood watch which are within the law and the constitution. We hope that the impending withdrawal of the commando units will not leave a vacuum in the destabilisation of farming.

In conclusion it is my fervent hope and wish that the communication channels that are initiated today will bear fruit in the best interests of all concerned and our province of KwaZulu Natal. If we trust in the Lord, all our wishes will be realized.