A team of senior managers from the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) and Limpopo Premier’s Office will be deployed to visit emerging small-scale farmers from historically disadvantaged communities in Limpopo province.

According to Adv. Eric Mabasa from the Office of the Premier in Limpopo, the week-long visit to these emerging farmers will commence on Monday, October 7, and continue until Friday, October 11, 2024.

Senior managers from both the Limpopo Office of the Premier and the provincial Department of Agriculture, along with the DPSA, will visit farmers in the Capricorn, Mopani, Sekhukhune, Waterberg, and Vhembe Districts. The aim is to provide support services that include access to technology, farm management skills, financial resources, market information, and guidance to enhance their experience in commercial agriculture.

In 2004, the Cabinet approved the compulsory deployment of senior managers to the frontlines as a management tool to help address service delivery challenges.

Adv. Mabasa emphasized that this deployment is part of the Khaedu project—a government initiative designed to ensure that residents receive consistently high-quality services. Khaedu, a Tshivenda word meaning “challenge,” reflects the government’s commitment to supporting emerging farmers.

“As a government, we want to assist our emerging farmers by providing advice on how they can expand their businesses. While some may already have a market for their fresh produce, we aim to offer the support needed for them to become part of the commercial farming sector. It is crucial to provide this much-needed assistance to those battling poverty, unemployment, and hunger through agriculture in our country,” he stated.

Adv. Mabasa acknowledged that these emerging farmers are already contributing to their local communities by supplying fresh produce. The goal is to enhance and strengthen their participation in the market.

“Through this week-long visit, we will demonstrate via our Khaedu programme that prioritizing food security for South Africans is essential for strengthening agriculture,” he added.

The visit by senior managers to Limpopo and other provinces is also part of Public Service Month (PSM). PSM promotes the professionalization of the public service, aiming to build a capable developmental state that delivers effective, efficient, and development-oriented public services.

Objectives of PSM

  • Remind public servants of the significance of their service.
  • Assess the impact of government service delivery.
  • Recommit and rededicate public servants to the ethos of Batho Pele.
  • Improve the morale of public servants by fostering pride in their roles.
  • Enhance the health and wellness of public servants.
  • Integrate all September activities that the government typically commemorates, such as Arbor Day/Week, Heritage Day/Month, Tourism Day/Month, and Police Day.