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Long-term planning and what it’s going to take to stick around in the long term – that was the focus of the first session of PigX2. The main aim of the event, presented by the South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (Sappo) at the Maslow Hotel in Menlyn, Pretoria, is to challenge pig paradigms.
Prof Jannie Rossouw, honorary professor at Wits Business School, spoke about South Africa’s vacillation between despair and hope. “In 1949 prime minister Jan Smuts said that neither the worst, nor the best happens in South Africa. That’s still where we are, and that gives me hope,” said Prof Rossouw.
The fact that South Africa’s agricultural sector is still able to produce enough food to feed the country’s growing population is nothing short of a miracle, the former deputy general manager of the SA Reserve bank and political economist pointed out. He added that the fact that the country is food secure is also one of the great positive highlights in the country.
Read more about the latest domestic pork production prices here.
Nit ‘pigging’ at politics
According to Prof Rossouw, president Cyril Ramaphosa is a ‘weak leader’ and his leadership is one of the negative things happening in South Africa currently. In fact, he believes the National Dialogue estimated to cost R700 million and scheduled to kick off in August, will be fruitless. “The ANC does not respect taxpayer money. To put it into perspective: With R700 million we can build two SolTech colleges and that would do a great deal more for poverty relief than this dialogue ever could.”
However, the fact that democracy triumphed during the previous election and the country is now functioning under the umbrella of a government of national unity (GNU), is positive. “The parties inside the GNU believe in constitutional sovereignty, but the EFF, MK, and other parties outside the GNU believe in parliamentary sovereignty. That is a massive distinction, and we need to protect the constitutional sovereignty at all costs.”
And while the GNU has to improve its performance, it is critical to remember that there is no alternative, Prof Rossouw added.
One of the reasons why Prof Rossouw also has a lot of hope for the country is because the current cornerstone of the South African community is a caring society – including the country’s faith community.
Another critical aspect is the fact that the country remains one where the media and speech is free. “I am very critical of president Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC. When I criticised former president PW Botha’s government, I was thrown in jail.”
Another bright shoot is the successful institutions in the country – despite the government, not because of it.
Ensure affairs are in order
Nicholas Louw, a trust and succession specialist, was the second speaker and he talked about the importance of succession planning. He encouraged the audience to ensure that they have the necessary paperwork in order for succession planning. While this includes having a will ready, it also includes having the business organised correctly. While many people consider trusts not worth the effort, Louw said it is worth looking into the matter – especially as it could be a useful tool to reduce estate tax.
Competitiveness lessons from Zimbabwe
Ian Kennaird, CEO of Triple C Pigs in Zimbabwe, spoke about the fact that old infrastructure can still be relevant and competitive within a technology-driven new era of pig production. “Our part of the world has been on fire for a long time, but with chaos comes opportunity. This is true everywhere.”
Triple C Pigs’ facilities – mostly leased from government and private owners – may look dilapidated compared to South African commercial piggeries, but this innovative country is able to raise thousands of baconer pigs on these farms. In fact, Kennaird said they no longer talk about “old piggeries” and “old buildings”. They’ve turned their focus from the negative to one where they now focus on what they can do with the infrastructure they have.
The empowerment of employees has also been a game changer and Kennaird said it’s critical that the right people, who make one’s job easier, be employed rather than people who hamper the business’ progress.
“It’s not very easy to get people to think for themselves, but it’s critical to do this because if a person can think for themselves, they can start taking accountability for their actions.” – Susan Marais, Plaas Media
