The president of the country’s leading agricultural body cited ‘health and stress-related reasons’ for his decision to quit.
Kriek’s departure comes at a critical juncture for South African agriculture as the government presses ahead with plans for expropriation without compensation as a key element of its ‘land reform’ ambitions.
Kriek said in a statement: ‘Agri SA is now entering a critical period in which much time and energy will have to be devoted to protecting the Constitution and to negotiating sustainable land reform solutions. The organisation will need dynamic leadership to deal with these challenges. The reputation that the organisation currently enjoys has come from a lot of hard work and has always put enormous demands on the leadership – including myself.’
Agri SA deputy president Pierre Vercueil will serve as acting president until the organisation’s 2020 congress.
Kriek, a member of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s land reform advisory panel, was one of a minority group of members who distanced themselves from the panel’s recommendations on land reform and expropriation without compensation.