Deputy Minister Sotyu during handover ceremony for the transfer of plantations

Programme director;

Executive Mayor of Joe Gqabi District Municipality Cllr N P Mposelwa;

Mayor of Elundini Local Municipality, Cllr Nonkongozelo Ruth Lengs;

Mayor of Matatiele Local Municipality, Cllr Sonwabile Mngenela;

Batlokoa Traditional Authority, Chief Montoedi Lehana;

Makhoba Traditional Authority, Chief Makhoba;

The representatives of the Forestry Industry;

Distinguished guests;

Ladies and gentlemen

Forestry is one of the leading sectors in our economy that has capacity and capability to contribute to the growth of this country.

As part of the initiatives to support growth, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has been leading a process to develop the Forestry sector Masterplan.

The masterplan focusses mainly on interventions that will yield growth, investment and transformation plan for the forestry sector. The plan was approved for implementation during November 2021 and it is in its second year of implementation.

Part of the deliverables of the masterplan is the transfer of plantation resources such that government focuses on policy and regulation, as well as creating an enabling environment for the sector to thrive.

For this reason I am delighted to hand over the management of Makhoba, Lehana and Fort Usher plantations to beneficiary communities.

I am handing over the management of Makhoba plantation to Makhoba community and the management of Lehana and Fort Usher plantations to the Batlokoa community. The combined extent of these plantations is approximately 362.31 hectares.

The handing over of these plantations is in line with the provisions of the National Forests Acts (NFA), 1998 (Act No.84 of 1998).

The purpose of this act is to promote the sustainable management and development of forests for the benefit of all; promote community forestry and promote greater participation in all aspects of forestry and the forest products industry by persons disadvantaged by unfair discrimination. Section 29 of the NFA allows communities that are interested in managing State Forest plantations to submit their request to enter into a community forestry agreement (CFA) with the minister.

Ukunikezelwa kwalamahlathi kuphunyezwe ngoMthetho Wolawulo Lwamahlathi kuZwelonke, iNational Forests Act, umthetho we – 84 ka 1998. Injongo yaloMthetho kukukhuthaza ulawulo olufanelekileyo kanye nophuhliso lwamahlathi ukuze kuxhamle bonke abantu.

Kukhuthazwa ke ulawulo lwamahlathi luluntu nokuthatha koluntu inxaxheba kwiinkalo zonke zolawulo lwamahlathi, uphuhliso ke olujonge ukuxhamlisa kanye nabo bebehlelelekile ngenxa yocalucalulo lwangaphambili.

ISolotya 29 lwaloMthetho Wolawulo Lwamahlathi livumela uluntu olunomdla ekulawuleni amahlathi kaRhulumente uba lufake isicelo secommunity forestry agreement (CFA) kuMphathiswa.

The Batlokoa and Makhoba communities submitted their CFA requests some time ago and the Minister has approved and signed their CFA.

The purpose of today’s ceremony is for me, on behalf of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, to formally hand over the management of the Makhoba, Lehana and Fort Usher plantations.

The transfer of the management of these plantations will go a long way to improve the livelihoods of the Batlokoa and Makhoba communities.

This will also create jobs and I would like to urge the youth and women to seize this opportunity.

ABatlokoa kunye noluntu lwaseMakhoba bafaka isicelo se CFA kwiminyaka edlulileyo athe ke ngoku uMphathiswa wazivuma wazisayina ezoZivumelwano ezibandakanya lamahlathi mathathu. Injongo yalomsitho wanamhlanje yeyokuba mna, egameni leSebe Lezamahlathi, Ulobo Nokusingqongileyo, ndinikezele ngokusesikweni ulawulo lehlathi iMakhoba, iFort Usher kunye neLehana.

Esisinikezelo sizawudlala indima ekuphuculeni indlela yokuziphilisa kwaBatlokoa kunye noluntu lwaseMakhoba. Lenkqubo izawuthi idale amathuba emisebenzi, ndithanda ukukhuthaza ulutsha nabasetyhini balithathe elithuba lokuxhamla.

The department takes cognisance of the fact that these plantations are not necessarily in a condition that is ideal for timber production purposes and require a lot of work and resources to turn them around.

In line with the signed community forestry agreements, I would like to make a commitment on behalf of the department that we will provide with the necessary support that is required to make these plantations a viable business in the future.

The department will work with the affected communities to develop a plan that will ensure the management of these resources in a sustainable manner going forward.

We commit to undertaking initiatives such as site species matching to determine the ideal species that can grow well in this area, provision of technical and advisory support services, including training.

Where feasible, the communities will be linked with interested industry role-players in a fair and transparent manner.

These industry role-players should be viewed as strategic partners who will then assist with additional expertise and resources to recapitalise plantations.

This will be their contribution as part of the Masterplan, and we hope that they will assist when they are called to in this regard.

Programme director I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the role-players and stakeholders who made this initiative possible. Negotiations and discussions as well as the associated processes are often protracted and complex, but ultimately, we have reached the goal of empowering our communities.

Thank You all

Source: Government of South Africa