Thoko Didiza

Angela Thokozile Didiza (née Msane; born 2 June 1965) is a South African politician serving as Speaker of the National Assembly since 14 June 2024. A member of the African National Congress (ANC), she was formerly the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development between May 2019 and June 2024. She served an earlier stint in the cabinet between 1999 and 2008.

Thoko Didiza

Quotes

"End of term: Minister Didiza reflects on her legacy" (2024)

She said in an interview "End of term: Minister Didiza reflects on her legacy", Food for Mzani (April 9, 2024)

• I had to make sure that the cabinet approved farmer support policy so that it guides the entirety of the sector and provinces.

• Another challenge is how to position agriculture to adapt quickly in addressing issues of climate change. It is not just about El Niño or La Niña when there are rains or floods. It’s also about new pests and diseases that are emerging and that is a challenge we are working on.

• Challenges I faced, on one hand, have been to try and continue with the work that has been done in the past, to resolve some of those where some of the projects were not complete, and complete them. Even though some of them are still outstanding because of the complexities that are there.

• Food security is achieved through the capacity to produce and, at the same time, it’s the purchasing power to be able to acquire that food.

• The grants that social development gives for social relief, as well as the normal grants given to the elderly and the children and disabled are interventions as part of the social security net so that people do not go hungry.

• Sometimes support to farmers is not only financial but also about enabling them through the information that will position them better in accessing markets, and what they need to do in terms of the compliance issues that they have to address.

• On our side, assisting farmers with inputs so that on a small-scale level they can produce for their household is one of the bedrocks that support food security.