Qumanco residents allege Ncorha Dairy Scheme mismanaged

Land Reform and Rural Development minister, Mzwanele Nyhontso, has met with the residents of Qumanco in Cofimvaba in the Eastern Cape over the Ncorha Dairy Scheme which residents allege is being mismanaged.

They say they are also not benefiting as land owners. The area operates under the Communal Property Association Act.

Local Chief, Zwelinqaba Mgudlwa, says a number of schemes are collapsing due to to this Act as Traditional Leaders are excluded.

“The scheme employed 799 people. But now, there is not even one person employed. We used to plough maize, potatoes, cabbage and so on, but today, nothing is being done. Government is not making means to educate people who will be farmers of tomorrow.”

Minister Nyhontso has promised to return to the area to give feedback.

“There are problems all over where there are CPAs. We are hoping to resolve that issue of CPAs because it is a law of the republic, it is an act of parliament. We have started a process where we will be visiting all CPAs through out the country and see how we can resolve the matter of CPAs. The reason we are here is because we want to bring development, we want to revive the scheme and out of the scheme we want to make sure jobs are created, we want to make make sure that food is produced.”