MEDIA RELEASE
1 NOVEMBER 2017
Prevent a Christmas of Misery, advocacy group FairPlay asks Zuma
A petition calling for President Zuma to urgently come to the rescue of the beleaguered chicken industry, was delivered by the FairPlay antidumping advocacy movement to the Presidency today.
Addressed to President Zuma, Deputy President Ramaphosa and Ministers Davies [DTI] and Zokwana [DAFF], the petition delivers a heartfelt plea for intervention.
It reads in part, “There are only a few weeks left until Christmas, but it will be a Christmas of Misery for the thousands of men and women who have been stranded without jobs for most of 2017, while no plans have been announced to stop the dumping that caused the crisis.”
FairPlay, founded by businessman and philanthropist Francois Baird, has been working tirelessly to bring about change by putting pressure on government, and bringing together experts, thought leaders and the various stakeholders in the industry to apply their minds to possible solutions. “The government appointed a task team last November – a year ago – and still we are no closer to knowing what serious interventions are planned to prevent the demise of this incredibly valuable homegrown industry,” said Baird. FairPlay has been joined in its efforts by powerful and diverse supporters, ranging from KFC to the Food and Allied Workers Union.
FairPlay hopes that the petition, which was signed by over 8 000 people including retrenched chicken workers and others who still are employed but fear for their future job security, will open a dialogue with government that will bring about much overdue action to stop dumping. ENDS
For further information, see www.fairplaymovement.org,
Media enquiries: contact Melinda Shaw on Melinda.shaw@fairplaymovement.org,
082 3766035
