The number of commercial farmers in South Africa have plummeted from a high of 85,000 in 1994 to 11,600 today. The numbers become even more of a shock given the number was approximately 13,500 a few months back.
The mostly White, Afrikaaner-Boer farmers find themselves increasingly marginalized in a society that views them as “land barons”, a government that looks to expropriate their land, and “war like conditions” which include a corrupt police force. “The increase in armed attacks, robbery and theft of farm products and implements holds serious financial implications for agriculture in our country. This high crime rate is experienced by the industry as economic sabotage,” said Agri-SA.
In addition to the loss of commercial farmers, more than 1 million black African farm workers have become unemployed and have had to move their families to squatter camps. In total, approximately 5 million people have been displaced.
Now the last of SA's white farmers are about to depart for greener pastures in Georgia, Eastern Europe. Watch Georgia go from strength to strength as South Africa sinks into poverty and starvation.
"Most would like to stay but they were being chased by crime, corruption, water pollution and an unfriendly government," deputy secretary Bennie Van Zyl said, adding that "no government department at this stage was not a threat to the farmer."
"This is a great opportunity for farmers, because the government in Georgia knows that, without commercial farmers, the country can't go forward... commercial farmers are (a country's) biggest asset. It's a pity our government doesn't have this approach."
Georgia needs expertise as it wants to uplift its agricultural sector which was destroyed by socialism and communism about 70 years ago.
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