Dear Select Committee on Public Petitions and Executive Undertakings,

We, the undersigned farmers, business owners, and concerned community members of Nkomazi, formally submit this petition to demand urgent reforms in the Nkomazi Municipality Agriculture Local Office, which has consistently failed to fulfill its mandate of supporting farmers and advancing agricultural development in the region.

For far too long, the Nkomazi Agriculture Local Office has been plagued by inefficiency, bureaucratic delays, and a lack of meaningful engagement with farmers and agricultural stakeholders. The negative impact of these failures has been felt across the entire agricultural sector, resulting in financial losses, missed opportunities for economic growth, and increased hardship for farmers and businesses alike.

Key Areas of Concern

Failure to Reopen the Nkomazi Red Meat Abattoir and Feedlot:
The prolonged bureaucratic delays in finalizing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) required for the facility’s operationalization have severely impacted local farmers and businesses.
The continued closure of this essential facility has led to job losses, economic stagnation, and an unsustainable burden on farmers, who must now seek alternative, costlier processing options.
Lack of Financial and Technical Support for Farmers:
Despite repeated requests and viable proposals submitted to the Department, farmers in Nkomazi continue to struggle due to inadequate access to funding, grants, and essential agricultural resources.
The local office has failed to facilitate support programs that could enhance productivity, sustainability, and market access for local farmers.
Persistent Bureaucratic Inefficiencies and Unresponsiveness:
There is a chronic lack of communication and transparency from the Agriculture Local Office, particularly when farmers seek urgent intervention.
Requests for support, permits, and infrastructure improvements are met with excessive delays and administrative red tape, leaving critical agricultural projects stalled indefinitely.
Neglect of Agricultural Development and Rural Economic Growth:
The Nkomazi Municipality Agriculture Local Office has demonstrated little to no initiative in driving agricultural development, training programs, or innovation within the sector.
There is a lack of engagement with farmers to address pressing sector challenges, including climate resilience, market access, and rural infrastructure.
Our Demands:
In response to these persistent failures, we demand immediate and concrete action from the Department of Agriculture – Mpumalanga to reform the Nkomazi Agriculture Local Office and address the following issues:

Urgent finalization of the MOU and a clear timeline for the reopening of the Nkomazi Red Meat Abattoir and Feedlot facility within seven (7) days.
An overhaul of the Nkomazi Agriculture Local Office to remove inefficiencies and ensure greater transparency, accountability, and responsiveness to farmers' needs.
Immediate engagement with stakeholders (farmers, business owners, and agricultural organizations) to develop a practical, time-bound action plan for agricultural development in the region.
Clear commitments to improving access to financial and technical support for farmers, including funding opportunities, training, and market facilitation.
An official response from the Department within 14 days, failing which we will escalate this matter through public demonstrations, legal action, and appeals to higher government authorities.

https://chng.it/fHJxYJG6xL