Post by cjm on Dec 12, 2016 5:32:04 GMT
Fallacy to say the youth shuns farming
Well, if you are white, you are an idiot even to consider farming. I know what I am talking about.
First you need a farm. You will find (unless lucky enough to be part of the BEE crowd), that it takes more than a generation to pay it off. Inheritance is out- the tax laws are structured such that it has to be sold on the owner's death.
You can always go and work for someone else, but you are likely to find that the salary is low, no medical scheme or retirement benefits exist. This actually applies even if you are the boss. You might have holidays but, again, if you are the owner (or equivalent) , they will be few and far between. Saturdays and Sundays are normal working days on a farm.
Don't be misled by the open air lure. The sun gets very hot (and the winters very cold) and you will envy those *miserable souls* locked in air conditioned offices. You will be in a constant battle with labour regardless of your position. You will work times and time you never ever thought possible.
Just when you think you can make ends meet, the ANC will invent a new requirement to make your life miserable. Minimum wages, labour inspections, taxes, removal of tax benefits, regulation of working conditions (for all except you), product specs, environmental laws, water laws, mineral laws. You will lose your farm inch by inch to squatters, thieves and criminals. You will provide welfare and infrastructure the state is incapable of. You will constantly be vilified by the media and urbanites for being racist and tight-fisted. You will make more court appearances either as witness or accused than you thought possible. You will see agricultural firms crashing about you and the bank turning its back on you at the worst of times. You will see agricultural categories disappearing: Tobacco, wine, ostriches, export markets. People will talk a lot about the drought, but no aid for farming.
You will be stripped of your humanity, have to compete with products dumped on the SA market, be lectured by politicians and academics about how to farm.
Eventually when you are old , financially incapable of doing anything else (or moving), you will be murdered in your own home.
Well, if you are white, you are an idiot even to consider farming. I know what I am talking about.
First you need a farm. You will find (unless lucky enough to be part of the BEE crowd), that it takes more than a generation to pay it off. Inheritance is out- the tax laws are structured such that it has to be sold on the owner's death.
You can always go and work for someone else, but you are likely to find that the salary is low, no medical scheme or retirement benefits exist. This actually applies even if you are the boss. You might have holidays but, again, if you are the owner (or equivalent) , they will be few and far between. Saturdays and Sundays are normal working days on a farm.
Don't be misled by the open air lure. The sun gets very hot (and the winters very cold) and you will envy those *miserable souls* locked in air conditioned offices. You will be in a constant battle with labour regardless of your position. You will work times and time you never ever thought possible.
Just when you think you can make ends meet, the ANC will invent a new requirement to make your life miserable. Minimum wages, labour inspections, taxes, removal of tax benefits, regulation of working conditions (for all except you), product specs, environmental laws, water laws, mineral laws. You will lose your farm inch by inch to squatters, thieves and criminals. You will provide welfare and infrastructure the state is incapable of. You will constantly be vilified by the media and urbanites for being racist and tight-fisted. You will make more court appearances either as witness or accused than you thought possible. You will see agricultural firms crashing about you and the bank turning its back on you at the worst of times. You will see agricultural categories disappearing: Tobacco, wine, ostriches, export markets. People will talk a lot about the drought, but no aid for farming.
You will be stripped of your humanity, have to compete with products dumped on the SA market, be lectured by politicians and academics about how to farm.
Eventually when you are old , financially incapable of doing anything else (or moving), you will be murdered in your own home.