HIPPO VALLEY- The newly appointed Minister of Agriculture, Dr Anxious Masuka, seems to be a man on a mission, leaving no stone unturned and calling a spade a spade, after poking the country’s security sector during his tour of maize crop at Hippo Valley Estates on Friday.
BY PATRICK CHITONGO
The Minister challenged the lackadaisical manner in which the security organs, comprising of the Police, Army, Prisons and Correctional Services as well as the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), reacts to matters of national security in Chiredzi.
In a veiled attack, the Minister said the rate in which maize produced by Tongaat to mitigate hunger in the district is rising, spelling a week security system.
This was after a briefing was made to the Minister that the company is not reaching the zenith of its maize production as a significant percentage is claimed by theft.
This season, Tongaat has so far harvested 10 000 metric tonnes of maize, part of which has been already delivered to the local GMB awaiting distribution among locals.
The company however, said the figures stand too far below their expected output because of crop loss to thieves before harvesting commences.
A senior Agronomist within the company who preferred not to be named told this publication that a standard hectare of maize yields from 10-14 tonnes, all factors included.
This did not go down well with the Minister who cracked the whip on the Joint Operations Command (JOC) leaders who were all present .
“Where is JOC ? What have you done to make sure that those who are stealing the maize are brought to book? It is your duty to find out how maize planted here ends elsewhere” the Minister said .
“There is a saying that goes “A hungry nation is a security threat”. We can’t allow hunger to remain among our people due to theft. This must be stopped” he said .
