Land reform policies started in the 1990s, and the role of this was to change the inequalities of the apartheid era law, when black people were not permitted to own land in south africa. The scenarios building process on the future of land reform in south africa was convened and supported by the vumelana advisory fund, which contracted reos partners to manage the process. This thesis provides an overview of land reform in south africa before. Ta da the primary source of information in this report was obtained from the. Our aim is to uncover the many different sources of land data and information in south africa and thus provide a basis to substantiate, refute or nuance the oftenrepeated rhetoric that there is a lack of land data. South african churches have also wrestled with the issue of land, to no avail. Washington, july 22, 20 africa is home to nearly half of the worlds usable uncultivated land, some 202 million hectares that can be brought under the plow. Dec 06, 2016 in 1994, south africas democratic government implemented land reform to rectify these past racial injustices, to correct skewed land ownership patterns and to alleviate poverty. Dr pieter mulder has courted great controversy with comments that black south africans have no historical claim to land in the northern and western cape and also that blacks own a greater share of the countrys land than the government admits. Land redistribution in south africa commissioned report for high level panel on the assessment of key legislation and the. It is distinctive in its focus on breaking up large and productive farms. Land reform in south africa is the promise of land restitution to empower farm workers who now have the opportunity to become farmers and reduce inequality. Progress to date1 edward lahiff2 introduction and background this paper provides an overview of land reform in south africa since the advent of democratic government in 1994, with a particular emphasis on land redistribution.
Land reform is necessary in south africa, but that is about the only issue regarding land reform on which there is consensus. Communal land, property rights and traditional leadership. Introduction what is going wrong in south africas postapartheid land reform programme, and how can its failings be addressed. The role of south african business in contributing to land reform was outlined here as central to a land reform programme that is characterised as a state incentivised, but private sector delivered or decentralised, but state enabled process of land redistribution. With the end of the apartheid regime in south africa in 1994, the newly elected government introduced a programme of land reform. In fact the constitution is enabling of land reform, rather than disabling. South africas land reform programme, adopted by the african national congress anc led government in 1994, has a long way to go in redressing the historical injustice of land dispossession, denial of access to land and forced removals.
What is going wrong in south africas postapartheid land reform programme, and how can its failings be addressed. South africa, as an emerging democracy with a well known history of conquest and dispossession of land in the colonial and apartheid eras, has embarked on a systematic land reform programme in. If black people who knows nothing about farming suddenly take over the farms the country will either starve or the. It is somewhat muted in rural struggles and hence its statedriven character, with zimbabwe as a partial exception. Women, culture and africas land reform agenda ncbi.
According to statistics south africa 2001 in 2001, 43% of the population of south africa 21 million people was living in a rural area. This paper provides an overview of land reform in south africa from 1994 to 2011. Zimbabwe, on one side of the spectrum, is facing a crisis in democratisation due to its radical approach to land reform. Bilateral investment treaties and land reform in southern africa. Less than one in 20 land reform beneficiaries have benefited from either comprehensive agricultural support programme casp grants or microagricultural finance institutions of south africa mafisa loans. The south african government adopted a land reform programme in 1994. South africas land debate is clouded by misrepresentation. Land reform in south africa 275 the development facilitation act, 67 of 1995.
When we start unpacking why land reform is necessary, some people say it is because the majority of south africans were disenfranchised and disempowered through years of colonial conquest, segregation and apartheid. Land as part of the cost of typical land reform project, south africa 34. In this regard, the south african government has since 1994 been involved in designing and developing a land reform programme that aims to bring about a fair and equitable land dispensation in south africa in an orderly and planned way. The 1994 pledge by the african national congress anc to transfer 30% of whiteowned agricultural land to black farmers has. But only 50% around 200 000 hectares of the land invested in has been harnessed for production. Nearly 60% of all south africans, live on land or in dwellings outside of. Government will at all times act in the best interest of our nation. Despite this, africa suffers from the highest poverty rate in the world with nearly 47. South africa land portal securing land rights through.
More than two decades after the end of apartheid in south africa, the unequal distribution of land remains. The continents poor development record suggests it has not leveraged its abundant agricultural land and natural resources to generate shared and sustained growth. The challenge of transformation and redistribution. In the south african context, dispossession of land. The land debate looks at what government has done to address land reform in south africa since the country became a democracy in 1994.
Land reform has to, must take place in south africa. The natives land act of 19 engineered the poverty of black. Africa of south africa land reform and agriculture and. The native land act of 19 played a key role in the restriction of native people of south africa sa to occupy only % of the countrys land feinberg, 1993, louw, 20. The challenge of poverty is a disturbing reality in south africa. This discourse attempts to link land reform and rural development to poverty alleviation. Solving africas land issues to boost productivity, alleviate. Land reform in south africa, zimbabwe, namibia, and mozambique is quite distinctive in some ways, and typical in others. Land reform in south africa is a moral, social and economic imperative. Ultimately, this note concludes that, even in the context of zimbabwes similar land crisis, south africa s land reform program will prove to be successful in the years to come. Speeding up the identification for compulsory acquisition of not less than. Communal land, property rights and traditional leadership current context what is at stake.
The challenges of transformation and redistribution cherryl walker human sciences research council harold wolpe memorial trust conference cape town, 25 27 march 2004. Twenty two years after the transition to democracy and the commencement of land reform, there is a great deal of lived experience to. Broader issues of land reform, including redistribution, are beyond. This chapter investigates the paradox of land reform programme and its quest to address challenges faced by the rural population in postapartheid south africa. Mar 24, 2017 since 2008, africa attracted numerous foreign investors. Chapter 1 looks at the limited success of the south african land reform programme. Land reform also agrarian reform, though that can have a broader meaning involves the changing of laws, regulations or customs regarding land ownership. In 1956, the freedom charter 1 drove the liberation movement agenda and proclaimed. From south africa to zimbabwe, and congo drc to nigeria, land. Ntsholo agreed that there would be no need for land reform in south africa, a. Similar to the objectives of the sa yearbook, the pocket guide is also aimed at. In 1994, the ruling anc adopted as its priority to transfer 30% of white owned land. The governments land reform programme is made up of the following principal components. The budget for rural development and land reform cannot result in.
Diagnostic report on land reform in south africa commissioned report for high level panel on the assessment of key legislation and the acceleration of fundamental change, an initiative of the parliament of south africa institute for poverty, land and agrarian studies. Government will continue to accelerate the pace of land reform within the framework of the constitution of the republic of south africa, respective legislation and according to the rule of law. Restrictions of land ownership on a racial basis shall be ended, and all. Sa could model its land reform on the success achieved in. Dr john purchase, ceo of the agricultural business chamber, agbiz, examines current and planned developments in land reform. The programme gathered momentum so that by june 1998 almost 250,000 people, in. In many lowerlatitude regions, yields of some crops e. Land available for use by africans was increased by 5% in 1936 fn5 bringing the total to % of the total area of south africa, although much of the land remained in the ownership of the state through the south african development trust supposedly held in trust for the african people. This restriction resulted in huge differences in land holdings between people of european descent, who occupied on average 1600 ha per person and native people, who occupied only 1. Emerging investment treaty impacts on land reform in southern africa. Land reform and redistribution in south africa guardian.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of land reform. Rights, development, and the restrained state canadian journal of african studies, 38 3 2004. In particular, section 256, which requires that the state secure the land rights of black south africans, is of key strategic significance, and securing rights should remain a key objective of land reform, in urban as well as rural areas. In many lower latitude regions, yields of some crops e. The financial times and its journalism are subject to a selfregulation regime under the ft editorial code of practice. In 1992, the world bank initiated a report on the agricultural sector in south africa. As a result the land reform process in south africa has largely adopted the ideology and guidelines outlined earlier. Land reform in south africa was established by the government with the view that redistribution of farmland would make a significant contribution to poverty alleviation. Land reform tops the list of priorities affecting south african agriculture, given the current policy environment in which the sector operates. It begins with a brief sketch of the historical background before outlining the main.
The coombe 6260, situation latitude 292942s to 2930508 and longitude 29 341oe. Jun 23, 2014 currently, a clause in section 25 of south africas constitution is designed to protect south african citizens from having land taken away from them without pay. It is somewhat muted in rural struggles and hence its statedriven character, with zimbabwe as a. South africa land seizures begin, economic decline accelerates. Post settlement challenges for land reform beneficiaries.
South africas land reform in historical perspective. Arguments for land reform in south africa rest on several grounds, one of which is. There is need to show who owns south african land and to track progress of land reform to fulfil section 255 of the constitution objectives to enable south african citizens access to land on equitable racial and gender basis. It is easy, at events like this, to roll out a wish list of what land reform should achieve and who it. President donald trump touched off a diplomatic row with south africa by repeating an erroneous broadcast about land reform there. Unravelling the complexities of land reform in south af. The land reform in zimbabwe was organised in line with that slogan and had the following basic elements of speed, which made it to be known as the fast track land reform. The need for land reform south africa suffered a long history of colonization, racial domination and land dispossession that resulted in the bulk of the agricultural land being owned by a white minority. It is a precondition for the success of governments growth, employment and redistribution strategy.
Land reform several years ago the government of south africa embarked upon a process to create an equitable and sustainable land dispensation that results in social and economic development by providing land rights to all south africans, with a particular emphasis on black people. The need for the current land reform programme arose from the racially discriminatory laws and practices which were in place for the largest part of the twentieth century, especially those related to land ownership. Budgets for land reform have generally been around 1% of the national budget, and have fallen from a peak of 1. A pilot land reform programme was designed lund, 1996 following more or less the guidelines of the marketassisted. South africas land reform efforts lack a focus on struggling. The connections between these issues throughout history have not only had an affect on the contemporary state of the country itself but also on south africa in a global context. The pillars of the process are land restitution, land. Mar 29, 2016 land reform tops the list of priorities affecting south african agriculture, given the current policy environment in which the sector operates. Fight rages over land reform in south africa forbes. It is believed to allow previously unemployed people to participate in the economy and better the countrys economic growth. A gendered analysis of land reform policy and implementation outcome in south africa 2006 200809 acknowledgements the commission for gender equality is grateful to the department of rural development and land reform drdlr, the department of. Because of south africa s past, where the majority were forced onto only 10% of the land under apartheid and the incredibly delayed process of reparations over the last 25 years the question of land reform is a moral, social and economic imperative, ramaphosa said. An ipcc special report on climate change, desertification, land.
But despite the general consensus not to repeat zimbabwes economic disaster, few people disagree that land ownership needs to be reformed in south africa. This note addresses south africa s history, the development of south africa s land problem, and the implementation of south africa s land reform program. But in addressing the injustices of the past, we must not use race as a determinant of who must be beneficiaries of our land reform policies. Pocket guide to south africa 201617 government communication. Land ownership and land reform in south africa ngo pulse. The topic i was asked to address, as indicated by the title, is restricted to a discussion of land tenure, property regimes and traditional leadership in communal areas. Progress and challenges article pdf available in ssrn electronic journal november 2012 with 14,405 reads how we measure reads. Introduction what is going wrong in south africa s postapartheid land reform programme, and how can its failings be addressed. Lack of funding, for example, for land restitution was one of the obstacles encountered by key land stakeholders in south africa. The focus of the paper is the land redistribution program, but it touches briefly on restitution and tenure. Land reform in south africa getting back on track may 2008 cde executive summary this is an executive summary of cde research no 16, land reform in south africa. South africa s land policy is based on three main pillars.
The current status and future of land reform in south africa. The presidential advisory panel on land reform and agriculture v. With this state of land information report we seek to provide an overview of existing data and information on key land issues. The progress of land reform in south africa 1994 2008. The land act of 19 formalised the land dispossession of black south africans. Now 16 years into democracy, landless people hope that government under the leadership of president jacob zuma, and rural development and land reform. Land reform has been a hot topic in south african politics since the inception of the countrys democracy.
Land redistribution in south africa parliament of south. Land reform can, therefore, refer to transfer of ownership from the more powerful to the less powerful, such as. The scenarios team of 40 people was made up of leading actors involved in land reform. Land reform may consist of a governmentinitiated or governmentbacked property redistribution, generally of agricultural land. Officials also note that 11 000 new smallholder farmers have. The natives land act of 19 engineered the poverty of. The historical context of land reform in south africa and. The afrikaners who farmed for generations are masters of their art and they are benificial to the economy. The failure of land reform is one of the reasons that south africa is among the most unequal societies on earth. Rural land redistribution in south africa, 23 brook. More than 11 percent of south africa s total land falls under public ownership. Land policy proposals south african history online. The book represents the first comprehensive overview of land reform issues and challenges in south africa.
In 1994, the government of south africa committed itself to the reconstruction and. It also relates to restitution in the form of settling land claims of people who were forcefully removed from. Apr 07, 2015 even so, land reform remains an issue in namibia and the process does experience problems. South africa is suddenly facing a roadblock after u. In each of these countries the process of land reform is incomplete. The coombe 6260, situation latitude 292942s to 2930508 and longitude 29341oe. It limited african land ownership to native reserves, with communal land tenure administered by traditional leaders. Why land reform is a key issue in south african elections. President donald trump asked secretary of state mike pompeo to study the land and farm. We are pleased that we were able to host such an event. His comments come against claims that whites owned 87 percent of south africas land and that little progress has been made in changing this picture. Following the elections of 1999, a new minister for agriculture and land affairs.