agriculture union TAU-SA and the Freedom Front Plus have criticised Rural Development and Land Reform Minister Gugile Nkwinti for his warning to farmers.

agriculture union TAU-SA and the Freedom Front Plus have criticised Rural Development and Land Reform Minister Gugile Nkwinti for his warning to farmers.

This after Nkwinti said commercial farmers must co-operate to avoid a situation in SA "worse than Zimbabwe".

TAU-SA president Ben Marais said Nkwinti's remarks, made during an interview with eNews on Monday, were "irresponsible".

"We see Nkwinti's remarks as an ill-camouflaged threat to farmers that their land could be occupied the Zimbabwe way if they are not prepared to give it away."

He called on Nkwinti to apologise for his remark. He also called on President Jacob Zuma to repudiate him.

The Freedom Front Plus also labelled Nkwinti's reference to Zimbabwe as irresponsible

FF Plus land reform spokesperson Pieter Groenewald said "farmers have been cooperating but it is the government and its incompetent officials who do not co-operate".

"The fact that Nkwinti shares the views of black South Africans - that land has to be nationalised - is in contrast with what he said last week in Parliament. Nkwinti therefore speaks with a forked tongue." - Sapa