Wandile Sihlobo. (Photo: Agbiz/Facebook).
Wandile Sihlobo’s new appointment as agriculture envoy raises eyebrows, because it will be difficult for him to distinguish his task from John Steenhuisen, minister of agriculture, and Mzwanele Nyhontso, minister of land reform and rural development.
So says Dr. Wynand Boshoff, the FF Plus’ chief spokesperson on agriculture, after pres. Cyril Ramaphosa recently appointed Sihlobo, chief economist of the Agricultural Chamber of Commerce of South Africa (Agbiz) and member of the presidential economic advisory council, to this position.
According to the presidency, the appointment was made “with a view to the importance of agriculture in South Africa’s economic growth, recurring challenges in the sector and growth opportunities locally and internationally”.
Boshoff congratulated Sihlobo on his new position and said he is well known in agricultural circles and already has numerous publications, scientific and otherwise, under his belt.
Sihlobo is also a senior lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Stellenbosch University.
(Photo: Agbiz/Facebook)
According to Boshoff, Sihlobo’s realistic approach to land reform often creates calm in stormy debates.
“The relationship between established and emerging farmers, between farming on private and communal land, as well as between academia and practice, are also topics that Sihlobo intelligently discusses.”
The FF plus is of the opinion that the department of agriculture and land reform is dividing. In addition, there are already two ministers and two directors-general.
According to Boshoff, neither Steenhuisen nor Nyhontso have impressed anyone since their appointment.
He also says that trust in Steenhuisen has collapsed due to his sloppy handling of the foot and mouth crisis which is currently out of control.
Nyontsho has also so far been unable to get land reform underway.
However, according to the FF Plus, Ramaphosa should not bring another department under his own authority, in this case by appointing a special envoy.
Boshoff says the president should instead appoint competent ministers.