Minister of Agriculture
(1) (a) What (i) are the details and (ii) is the size of the farmland in hectares that has been converted into vineyards for wine production from food production in the province in the past 10 years;
(2) what (a) is the number and (b) are the details of farmworker residences that have been converted into bed and breakfasts and/or private cottages for rental in the province from 2014 to date;
(3) what is the number of farmworkers who have been evicted from farms in (i) 2014, (ii) 2015, (iii) 2016, (iv) 2017, (v) 2018, (vi) 2019, (vii) 2020, (viii) 2021 and (ix) 2022 to date?
(1) (a) The change in area under wine grape production over the past decade in the Western Cape Province is presented in the table below. It is clear that this area declined from 95 939ha in 2010 to 88 542ha in 2020. This is a decline of 7 396ha (almost 8%) over this decade. The only wine regions where an increase of area under wine grape production took place were Breedekloof and Worcester. However, it must also be remembered that the irrigated area in these two regions increased substantially over the decade as a result of improved on-farm water-use efficiency.
|
Wine regions |
Area (ha) |
Percentage change |
||
|
2010 |
2020 |
Change |
||
|
Stellenbosch |
17 081 |
15 085 |
-1 995 |
-12% |
|
Paarl |
16 642 |
14 742 |
-1 900 |
-11% |
|
Robertson |
13 493 |
12 801 |
-692 |
-5% |
|
Breedekloof |
12 560 |
12 714 |
154 |
1% |
|
Swartland |
14 238 |
12 344 |
-1 894 |
-13% |
|
Olifants River |
9 997 |
9 403 |
-594 |
-6% |
|
Worcester |
6 394 |
6 651 |
258 |
4% |
|
Cape South Coast |
2 712 |
2 621 |
-91 |
-3% |
|
Klein Karoo |
2 823 |
2 181 |
-642 |
-23% |
|
Total |
95 939 |
88 542 |
-7 396 |
-8% |
Source: SA Wine Industry 2020 Statistics Nr 45, SA Wine Industry Information and Systems
In a separate study, the spatial production census (“flyover project”) by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, it was found that the area under wine grape production in the Province declined from 108 070ha in 2013 to 91 221ha in 2017. This is a decline of 16 848ha (15,6%) over this period. The Department is planning a follow-up project in 2022/23 which will provide us with information whether this trend is continuing or not.
It follows that, rather than farming area used for food production being replaced by wine production, the opposite has happened over the past decade.
2) The Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA) does not keep a record of the conversion of houses on farms into agri-tourism enterprises, as owners are under no obligation to inform the department. When there is a request for re-zoning and changes to land use, inputs are sought from the Department's Land Use Management sub-programme. However, the decision of municipalities, in line with SPLUMA, are not communicated to the Department.
3) The Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA) does not keep a record or database of evictions of agri workers and farm dwellers in the Province, as evictions are dealt with in line with prescribed processes as per the Extension of Security of Tenure Act (ESTA) 62 of 1997. The national Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) is responsible for the administration of these processes, whereby a database of all evictions pertaining to agri workers and farm dwellers is maintained. If agri workers are notified (both formally and informally) of eviction matters, the Tenure Reform Implementation Directorate/ Unit within the DALRRD is notified and included in the court proceedings of evictions for agri worker households, providing assistance and ensuring a fair process and representation for agri workers.
