Message from the Chairperson/Boodskap van die Voorsitter

December 2015

'This is my dream for South Africa' QUESTION: Reviewing your term as Chairperson of Grain SA, where does the organisation find itself now? ANSWER: This is a generation privileged by the far-sightedness of those who preceded them over the years. And it is on their shoulders that we continued building in Grain SA, our producer organisation, which is extremely relevant today to the debate on key agricultural issues. Grain SA, Agri SA, provincial unions and other industry organisations can with good reason regard the food security that all South Africans enjoy as one of their joint successes. The cheapest quality food in the world, produced locally, can only be accomplished through cooperation throughout the entire food value chain, and is only now gaining wide recognition on account  of the reality of the current disaster situation in which southern Africa finds itself. QUESTION: What do you regard as the key elements for the success of the organisation while you were the Chairperson? ANSWER: The premise of departure with respect to the future of our country is our Constitution – which is widely regarded as one of the best in the world. This must serve as the premise for any debate on the future of agriculture. It is imperative that the letter and spirit of our Constitution be upheld in order to create an environment in which all South Africans can partake in the greater economic bounties with which we are so blessed. The application of the Constitution furthermore creates an environment in which economic activity can flourish. The logic of a free marketeerism, that currently pertains to the agricultural sector is co-responsible for the food security that all South Africans enjoy and is directly responsible for the greatest asset this country has, namely food security. It is therefore essential for the value of land to be maintained and to strengthen and nurture our Constitution, unfettered marketing principles and cooperation across the value chain – which is responsible for our food security. QUESTION: Returning to grassroots and communicating personally with producers was always a priority for you? ANSWER: My reply to the previous question is the message that was communicated to grassroots level, to large and small producers, who are after all the owners of Grain SA as organisation. They were the ones who sanctioned the message. Positivity about our future is vital, because we all remain proudly South African. This approach was developed in the interests of all South Africans, across colour lines. Any person or institution in society questioning this positive message and approach should be challenged. It will provide sound assistance and support to all producers, and particularly to the new generation of producers that South Africa is developing. QUESTION: What does the leadership team you are leaving behind look like? ANSWER: Grain SA is blessed with an Executive with sufficient depth and a staff complement with expertise and the necessary sensitivity to face any challenge. QUESTION: Your message regarding the drought to younger producers? ANSWER: To the agricultural community, specifically the younger producers: WE HAVE BEEN IN THIS SITUATION BEFORE and we survived with courage and pluck and with honesty towards financiers to compromise on the financial implications of the current disaster in which we find ourselves. I am convinced that financial institutions and the agribusinesses will be prepared to assist producers in the interests of society in one of the biggest challenges that has faced agriculture so far. Remember, you play a vital role in the production of food for all citizens of South Africa. QUESTION: Which individuals stand out to you in your 25-year career as leader in the grain industry? ANSWER: I had the special privilege of meeting and working with competent leaders who preceded me and who are currently serving. I do not want to single out individuals, because everybody played such an important role, and there is always the risk of accidentally leaving someone out. I will privately, as the occasion arises, acknowledge specific individuals whom I regard as role-models. However, there is one man who stands out and who played a great role in my life and whom I would like to mention, namely my father, Jan Steytler. His views are still extremely relevant today and many issues in South Africa would have been so much easier to handle if they had listened to him. My approach is based on what I learnt from him. QUESTION: How many chickens and eggs have you purchased over the years to use in speeches? ANSWER: I purchased hundreds of eggs and almost as many chickens over the years and used them in my speeches – to such an extent that I could be considered for honorary membership of the poultry industry. You know, at airports the staff greet me like a relative. I have worn out the seats of roughly ten suits during meetings. However, serving the interests of producers made the tired backside worthwhile. QUESTION: What is your dream for the future of agriculture and the grain industry in particular? ANSWER: Like all South Africans we yearn for a functional, democratic society within which people can live in safety and security. A South Africa that is led by leaders of stature and vision. A South Africa with a flourishing economic system that can resolve the evil of our time: Grinding poverty. A South Africa that is led by people who understand the aspirations and fears of our people. An agricultural sector that is able to create its own risk management through tax concessions in investment in the Land Bank in years of plenty to be used later in disaster years, and a state-supported insurance that can be used to mitigate the risk of agricultural commodity production. QUESTION: Any final thought you would like to share? ANSWER: All the honour goes to our Heavenly Father. Without Him nothing is possible. With these words I say goodbye to one and all. My regards to everybody at home. All the best, Ouboet! LOUW STEYTLER Chairperson		"Dit is my droom vir Suid-Afrika" VRAAG: Met 'n oorsig oor jou termyn as Voorsitter van Graan SA, waar bevind die organisasie hom tans? ANTWOORD: Hierdie geslag is bevoorreg met die versiendheid van dié wat voorgeloop het oor die jare heen. En dit is op hulle skouers wat ons voortgebou het in Graan SA, ons produsente-organisasie, wat vandag uiters relevant is tot die toekomsdebat oor sleutel-landbouvraagstukke. Graan SA, Agri SA, provinsiale unies en ander bedryfsorganisasies kan met reg die voedselsekerheid wat alle Suid-Afrikaners geniet, as een van hul gesamentlike suksesse toe-eien. Die goedkoopste, gehalte voedsel ter wêreld wat plaaslik geproduseer word, word alleenlik bewerkstellig deur samewerking deur die totale voedselwaardeketting en kry nou eers die breë erkenning vanweë die realiteit van die huidige rampsituasie waarin suidelike Afrika hom bevind. VRAAG: Wat was die sleutelelemente van die sukses van die organisasie tydens jou voorsitterskap? ANTWOORD: Die vertrekpunt oor die toekoms van ons land is die Grondwet – wat wyd beskou word as die beste ter wêreld. Dit moet dien as die uitgangspunt vir enige debat oor die toekoms van die landbou. Dit is noodsaaklik dat die letter en gees van ons Grondwet gehandhaaf word om sodoende 'n omgewing te skep waarin alle Suid-Afrikaners kan deel hê aan die groter ekonomiese skatte waarmee ons so geseënd is. Verder skep die toepassing van die Grondwet ‘n omgewing waarin ekonomiese aktiwiteit kan floreer. Die logika van 'n vryemark sonder staatsintervensie wat tans op die landbousektor betrekking het, is medeverantwoordelik vir die voedselsekerheid wat alle Suid-Afrikaners geniet en is direk verantwoordelik vir dié grootste bate wat die land geniet. Dit is daarom noodsaaklik om die waarde van grond te handhaaf en ons Grondwet, ongebonde bemarkingsbeginsels en samewerking dwarsoor die waardeketting – wat verantwoordelik is vir ons voedselsekerheid – te versterk en te koester. VRAAG: Om terug te keer na grondvlak en persoonlik met produsente te kommunikeer, was deurgaans vir jou 'n prioriteit? ANTWOORD: My antwoord op die vorige vraag, is die boodskap wat na grondvlak gekommunikeer is aan produsente groot en klein, wat uiteindelik die eienaars van Graan SA as organisasie is. Dit is hulle wat die boodskap bekragtig het. Positiwiteit oor ons toekoms is onmisbaar, want ons bly almal trots Suid-Afrikaans. Hierdie benadering is geskoei in belang van alle Suid-Afrikaners oor die kleurgrense heen. Enige persoon of instansie in die samelewing wat hierdie positiewe boodskap en benadering bevraagteken behoort gekonfronteer te word. Dit sal alle produsente en veral die nuwe generasie produsente wat Suid-Afrika ontwikkel, goed bystaan en ondersteun. VRAAG: Hoe lyk die leierskapspan wat jy agterlaat? ANTWOORD: Graan SA is geseënd met ‘n Hoofbestuur van genoegsame diepte en 'n personeelkorps met kundigheid en die nodige sensitiwiteit om enige uitdaging die hoof te kan bied. VRAAG: Jou boodskap oor die droogte aan jonger produsente? ANTWOORD: Aan die landbougemeenskap, spesifiek die jonger produsente: ONS WAS AL VOORHEEN IN HIERDIE SITUASIE en ons het oorleef met moed en durf en met eerlikheid teenoor  finansiers om tot ‘n vergelyk te kom oor die finansiële implikasies van die huidige ramp waarin ons ons bevind. Ek is oortuig dat finansiële instansies en die landboubesighede hulle weg sal oopsien om in die belang van die samelewing, produsente by te staan in een van die grootste uitdagings waarmee landbou tot dusver gekonfronteer is. Onthou, u speel ‘n onmisbare rol in die produksie van voedsel vir al die burgers van Suid-Afrika. VRAAG: In jou 25-jaar loopbaan as leier in die graanbedryf, watter individue staan vir jou uit? ANTWOORD: Ek het die besondere voorreg gehad om bekwame leiers wat voorgeloop het en wat tans dien, te ontmoet en mee saam te werk. Oor individue wil ek my nie graag uitlaat nie vanweë die feit dat almal so 'n belangrike rol gespeel het en daar altyd die gevaar is dat iemand per abuis uitgelaat kan word. Spesifieke individue wat ek as rolmodelle ag, sal ek per geleentheid die nodige erkenning in privaatheid gee. Daar is egter een man wat uitstaan en ‘n groot rol in my lewe gespeel het, wat ek graag wil vermeld, naamlik my vader, Jan Steytler. Sy standpunte is vandag nog uiters relevant en dit sou talle vraagstukke in Suid-Afrika net soveel makliker gemaak het indien daaraan gehoor gegee is. My benadering is geskoei op dit wat ek by hom geleer het. VRAAG: Hoeveel hoenders en eiers het jy oor die jare gekoop om in toesprake te gebruik? ANTWOORD: Ek het honderde eiers en naastenby soveel hoenders oor die jare heen gekoop en in my toesprake gebruik. Soveel so dat ek dalk oorweeg kan word vir erelidmaatskap in die pluimveebedryf. Weet jy, op lughawens groet die personeel my soos familie. Ek het naastenby tien pakke se broeke blink gesit in vergaderings. Om die produsente se belange te dien, was egter die moeë sitvlak werd. VRAAG: Wat is jou toekomsdroom vir landbou en spesifiek die graanbedryf? ANTWOORD: Soos alle Suid-Afrikaners smag ons na ‘n funksionele, demokratiese samelewing waarbinne mense in veiligheid en sekerheid kan lewe. ‘n Suid-Afrika wat deur leiers van formaat en visie gelei word. ‘n Suid-Afrika met ‘n florerende ekonomiese bestel wat in staat is om die euwel van ons tyd, naamlik nypende armoede, die hoof te bied. ‘n Suid-Afrika wat gelei word deur mense wat die aspirasies en vrese van ons mense verstaan. ‘n Landbou wat in staat gestel word om sy eie risikobestuur te skep deur belastingtoegewings in belegging by Land Bank te plaas in jare van oorvloed vir latere aanwending in rampspoedige jare en ‘n staatsondersteunde versekering wat gebruik kan word om die risiko van landboukommoditeitsproduksie te ondervang. VRAAG: Enige laaste gedagte wat jy wil deel? ANTWOORD: Aan ons Hemelse Vader al die eer, sonder Hom is niks moontlik nie. Met hierdie woorde groet ek u een en elkeen. Sê groete by die huis. Mooi loop, Ouboet! LOUW STEYTLER Voorsitter

Publication: December 2015

Section: General overview