On 18 April 2008, the NAMC received a mandate from the Minister of Agriculture to manage the reporting process between the Minister and ministerial trustees. The meeting scheduled with the ministerial trustees of the various industry trusts was to convey the important role that the ministerial trustees have in agriculture, to improve the process of communication and to improve the ministerial trustees knowledge and understanding of the Minister’s expectations.

On 24 June 2008 the NAMC held a meeting with ministerial trustees. The purpose of meeting was to investigate a plan on how the above mandate can be properly and effectively achieved. Key decisions were taken and required actions were mapped-out. This communiqué is one of the results of that meeting. The NAMC is committed to ensure that ministerial mandate is fully implemented and the desired objectives are achieved.

Further to the above, the NAMC has recently established a dedicated desk [Agricultural Trusts Desk] whose main purpose will be to service ministerial trustees on behalf of the minister. Senior Manager: Agricultural Trusts has been appointed to manage this desk as of the 1^st September 2008. He will be the contact person on behalf of the NAMC from now on. He will also be working closely with the ministerial trustees and trust administrators, mainly to improve and manage communication between the trusts and the Minister.

NAMC has identified a need to assist ministerial trustees in performing their duties, as required by the minister, in the various trusts. We are convinced that with proper support, trustees can effectively contribute in promoting the objectives of the trusts, including transformation. Furthermore, we have taken the decision to draw a Service Level Agreement (SLA) between the NAMC and Trustees.

The SLA has been drawn to formalize the nature of the relationship between the trustees and the NAMC. The SLA also clarifies the relationship amongst the minister of Department of Agriculture (DoA), NAMC and ministerial trustees. DoA has taken a strategic decision to effectively employ the agricultural trusts in achieving the desired transformation in agriculture. All ministerial trustees have been requested to sign the SLA as an indication of their commitment to the trusts.

The NAMC strongly believes that all the above can be better achieved through collaboration with the trust management team [secretary / administrators]. Mr. G. Dlamini will be working closely with the trusts on a supporting role for the ministerial trustee. 

Will communicate the Ministers’ expectations to the ministerial Trustees as and when necessary;

• Will re-visit all DoA industry strategic plans and NAMC Section 7 Committee reports in order to indicate those recommendations to trustees that industry and Government are supposed to implement;
• Will establish a dedicated desk at the NAMC to service ministerial Trustees;
• Reports to the Minister twice a year on the activities of the trusts; and
• Will request trusts to consider the amendment of their trust deeds to make provision for a 50% ministerial representation.

Obligations of the trustee

• Ensure that the Trust meeting agenda and relevant documentation is sent to the NAMC before each meeting;
• Communicate through the NAMC with Minister on Trust issues and get the Minister’s mandate on strategic decisions;
•  Ensure that the Trusts support the objectives of the MAP Act;
• Report on meetings to the NAMC who then reports to the Minister;
• Should encourage the Trust to draft a Business Plan if necessary;
• Should submit their annual audited financial statements to the NAMC; and
• Should promote the recommendations of the relevant Section 7 Committee and other NAMC reports.

The Trust Desk has embarked on a drive to communicate with trustees on a regular basis regarding their roles, especially meeting attendances and reporting back to the NAMC. This drive is aimed at “kick starting” the communication campaign. This process revealed that some trustees were not sure about the validity of their term as some have left the public