After several attempts, local dairy farmer Peter Wylie finally succeeded in persuading Makana Municipality to meet him on his farm to discuss his concerns about local farming. Three municipal representatives Likhaya Gandi, the special programmes officer for Makana Municipality, Ward 4 councillor, Melikhaya Pongolo and Luyanda Makata of the Makana Youth Council were escorted by Wylie around the farm.
After several attempts, local dairy farmer Peter Wylie finally succeeded in persuading Makana Municipality to meet him on his farm to discuss his concerns about local farming. Three municipal representatives Likhaya Gandi, the special programmes officer for Makana Municipality, Ward 4 councillor, Melikhaya Pongolo and Luyanda Makata of the Makana Youth Council were escorted by Wylie around the farm.
Before drinking some Wylie’s yoghurt around the kitchen table, Wylie showed them the road he said he personally carved out on a rocky path, as well as a dam he also said he built all on his own steam.
He also showed them the rehabilitated kaolin mine. Discussions became heated over current emerging farmers and the pre-1994 history of farming.
Referring to emerging farmers, Wylie said, “As long as you keep on giving to people, they will never be self sufficient.”
He said racial issues should be excluded from farming and only competent people should become farmers. In response, Ngandi said “For me, harping on the past does not make me feel comfortable because on a personal level, we have a response, hence I wish we could go back to the main problems at stake.”
Ngandi added that his grandparents had worked on a farm where they were mistreated. He said the issue of the past is a thin line because it gets emotional from both sides.
Makata asked Wylie how he got to own the farm to which Wylie responded: “It was my dad’s farm.” Among the problems that Wylie said he is facing on his farm are severe wind, stock theft, drought, political insecurity caused by government and rocky land.
He also complained of a new fence which was put up by the government next to his property without his knowledge.
“There is lack of communication here. I am getting depressed with the attitude of government, factors that caused starvation in Africa are at work here on this farm.”
He argued that as long as there is joint ownership of land, people will never be self sufficient. Referring to water being supplied to emerging farmers by the municipality, he said: “Journalists and taxpayers should investigate what happened to self sufficient farmers who are now being supplied with water, they are now dependent.”
He asked the councillors whose money was being used for this. Ngandi responded by saying that the whole of Grahamstown has a water crisis and the municipality views such issues as a priority.
“The municipality will assist people when they need water because it is its duty to do so,” he said. Pongolo said: “The municipality acknowledges that they have neglected farms hence they have budgeted R1.3-million for farm development around Grahamstown.”
The municipality has also organised 60 water tanks of 5 000 litres for farm areas around Grahamstown. Wylie said he has been a motor mechanic since he was 16 years old and might resort to his old trade due to the hardships of farming.
“There is nothing in farming and I am thinking of opening my own mechanic workshop, I am a sucker for farming, farmers are suckers,” he told the municipal representatives.
He said farmers often had to do extra work to survive without taking any holiday. “Now you know what a farmer is capable of, it’s not easy,” he emphasised.
Pongolo stated that the experience and input of farmers like Wylie were important to farming. He said that farmers like him should pass on their experience to their workers and others.
Ngandi said that sometimes the issue of farmers being given negative publicity is the on-going farm eviction, alluding to a case currently underway in Makana where a farmer is busy evicting farm workers.
Earlier, Wylie had told reporters he thought that some farmers should be removed because they give farming a bad name.
Looking at a way forward, they all agreed that such meetings should happen more often. Councillor Pongolo said he will report back to the Makana Mayor Vumile Lwana and hope to visit the farm with him soon.
