Dr. Corné Mulder, leader of the FF Plus. (Photo: Maroela Media)
John Steenhuisen, the minister of agriculture, has an enormous challenge to contain the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) crisis in South Africa, but he also made fatal mistakes in this process.
Dr. Corné Mulder, leader of the FF Plus, believes, however, that the answers are obvious. “Listen to the people who really know.”
Mulder, who used to visit the Nampo Harvest Day outside Bothaville, told Maroela Media this week that it was actually unthinkable that the harvest day this year – due to the BKS crisis – continued without cloven hooves.
“The irony is that the harvest day still continues despite BKS. The positive is that farmers make a plan regardless of the circumstances. However, the agricultural sector is still in an enormous crisis around BKS and it is unprecedented.”
Mulder says South Africa has been at the forefront in certain areas of agriculture, including biosecurity and the management of BKS. He is afraid that after 30 years under an ANC government, the country has lost that ability.
(Photo: Corné Mulder/ Facebook)
When asked about how the FF Plus is going to pick up the votes that the DA may lose due to Steenhuisen’s handling of the BKS crisis, Mulder joked that “the party doesn’t have to pick up the votes, it flows in by itself”.
“This is really the reality. The numbers of people joining the party are incredible and social media is a very good indicator of people’s feelings. People are very open about saying up to here and no further.”
He says the party is being invaded by people who want to support the party and according to him the majority have indicated that they previously voted for the DA.
(Photo: Maroela Media)
Mulder made it clear that each voter decides for himself who they want to vote for and he respects that choice.
“We get tremendous support from the English communities, including the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Brown, white and black communities are coming forward very strongly. Afrikaners have always taken the approach of voting for the DA because it is the bigger party, but this is a bogus argument.”
He also referred to a reader poll that was recently conducted on Maroela Media regarding the local election that will take place on November 4. In the reader poll, 54% of participants pledged their support to the FF Plus, followed by the DA on 40%.
Mulder also referred to a reader poll that was recently conducted on Maroela Media regarding the local election that will take place on November 4. (Photo: Maroela Media)
Mulder says that although the poll’s findings are mainly based on the opinions of Maroela Media readers, the results cannot be manipulated and are a strong indication of what he himself experiences at grassroots level.
“Although it is still a long time before the election, you can see how the numbers are changing. A year ago it was easily 80-20 in favor of the DA and now it has completely turned around.”
After he was elected as party leader, he attempted to position the party “right next to what burns in the hearts and souls of your own people”, says Mulder.
“If you want to know what is burning in our hearts, come to Nampo and see what is going on here. Come and talk to our own people and you will know what is really going on. The agricultural community is of course a key player in our entire economy and one cannot afford not to be here.
“This strategy works well and we will continue with it.”
Mulder believes that not becoming part of the executive authority was another possible decisive step.
“President Cyril Ramaphosa has no hold on me. I don’t say or ask him anything. If I want to visit the White House or London, I don’t have to ask him because I don’t need his permission. I believe that by standing outside, I can effectively handle my people’s interests.”
Watch the interview with Dr. Corné Mulder: