In south africa, tenure reform is a component of a national land reform programme which also embraces the restitution of land, to people dispossessed by racially discriminatory laws or practices, and land redistribution to the poor. A gendered analysis of land reform policy and implementation. Why land reform is a key issue in the upcoming election. Africas land reform policies can boost agricultural. Land reform has also resulted in increased productivity, output and income. The land debate looks at what government has done to address land reform in south africa since the country became a democracy in 1994.
As in other societies, access to land is vital for socialcultural sustainability, improved livelihoods and economic development. 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. Zimbabwe, on one side of the spectrum, is facing a crisis in democratisation due to its radical approach to land reform. This paper is an analysis of papers, reports and legislation that deals with land reform in south africa. It is believed to allow previously unemployed people to participate in the economy and better the countrys economic growth. Government will at all times act in the best interest of our nation. Pdf the historical context of land reform in south africa and. An analysis of the impact of land redistribution projects. A pilot land reform programme was designed lund, 1996 following more or less the guidelines of the marketassisted.
South african land reform may allow for compensation, anc. In each of these countries the process of land reform is incomplete. Godongwana said the landreform debate wasnt the primary reason for the agricultural industry contracting 29. African customary law is upheld by the south african constitution section 2.
Nigeria and south africa have started their way through land reforms and below are lessons learned from each. In formulating its land reform policy, government has endeavoured to take account of the widely conflicting demands of the various stakeholders and the implications of any specific course of action on the land market and investment in south africa. Land reform is necessary in south africa, but that is about the only issue regarding land reform on which there is consensus. The people have voiced their impatience and the inequalities are threatening peace and stability in our country. For example, in the twentieth century, many land reforms emerged from a particular political ideology, such as communism or socialism. Land reform in south africa is sinking nelson mandela foundation. Postapartheid land policies must provide redress for historical injustice at the same time as creating sustainable livelihoods through production, employment creation and equitable forms of growth. Land reform will continue to be one of south africas biggest problems. South africas land debate is clouded by misrepresentation. How land reforms have unfolded around the world the africa. The worlds most unequal country displays a picture of the posh suburb. As a result the land reform process in south africa has largely adopted the ideology and guidelines outlined earlier.
Nearly 60% of all south africans, live on land or in dwellings outside of. An analysis of the impact of land redistribution projects in. Read why land seizures are back in the news in south africa. But the state has been captured by elite interests. Why land reform is a key issue in south african elections. The study astutely combines ethnographic and historical detail from in depth. South africas youngsters are let down by a lousy education system. May 25, 2018 the land debate looks at what government has done to address land reform in south africa since the country became a democracy in 1994. In southern africa, tenure reform must address a range of problems arising from settler colonisation and. Nevertheless, the book provides a solid basis for a critical understanding of the spectrum of issues from a range of perspectives. The need for land reform south africa suffered a long history of colonization, racial domination and land dispossession that.
A new world bank report securing africas land for shared prosperity, suggests a series of ten steps that may help to revolutionize agricultural production and eradicate poverty in africa. Nevertheless, in some cases land reform has been followed by significant reductions of rural poverty. South africas land policy is flailing around in the dark, with the haziest of understandings of how well or how badly land reform is doing. Officials also note that 11 000 new smallholder farmers have been established since 2009, out of a target of 50 000. Land reform is a deeply political process and therefore many arguments for and against it have emerged. The three key elements of the land reform programme restitution, redistribution and tenure reform. 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 university of the western cape september 2016. Land reform has to, must take place in south africa. Soon after the first election of 1994, an ambitious policy of land reform began to be. We are pleased that we were able to host such an event. The 1991 paper called for the abolition of all land laws based on racial discrimination. The study astutely combines ethnographic and historical detail from indepth.
Some of the important laws repealed by the act included the 19 and 1936 land acts, the group. Land reform will continue to be one of south africas biggest. Derek hanekom minister of land affairs table of contents foreword the land affairs white paper sets out the vision and implementation strategy for south africa s land policy. The white paper on south african land policy 1997 included in its strategic goals the promotion of economic growth and poverty reduction through land reform dla. Land redistribution is a constitutionally mandated function of government. Pdf after independence, south africa embarked on a land reform. We, of course, recognise the volatility of the circumstances surrounding land reform. Land reform definition of land reform by merriamwebster. The south african government has shown commitment to. Zimbabwe, on one side of the spectrum, is facing a crisis in. Mar 12, 2018 south africa s land policy is flailing around in the dark, with the haziest of understandings of how well or how badly land reform is doing.
Acknowledgement that land reform in south africa is necessary, even though a complex and emotive subject. Implementing these reforms would enable africa to make use of its land resources to attract investments and achieve higher returns, which will lead to more growth and less poverty in the region. Human needs, land reform and the south african constitution. 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. Much of this land was previously cattle ranches, with limited. Officials also note that 11 000 new smallholder farmers have.
Land reform policy discussion document south african. A 10point plan to accelerate orderly land reform in south africa. Landrelated issues have taken centre stage in sociopolitical and economic discourse in postapartheid south africa. National challenges of food insecurity and unemployment in south africa prompted an increase in expectations for agricultural land acquired through land reform programmes to make meaningful contributions. The nature of the land question in south africa is inherently complex.
Perceptions regarding land reform debate, progress made and challenges encountered in redressing land reform were also analysed and discussed. A critical analysis of the land reform programme in zimbabwe. South africas historical, highly skewed distribution of land and productive. These arguments vary tremendously over time and place. The politics of land in south africa postgraduate school of agriculture and rural development 1 from freedom charter to cautious land reform the politics of land in south africa the constitutional entrenchment of a strictly free marketbased economy implied.
In this section, we zero in on masvingo province in the central south and east of the country. 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. Land redistribution in south africa parliament of south africa. Twenty two years after the transition to democracy and the commencement of land reform, there is a great deal of lived experience to. Land redistribution 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 thembela kepe university of toronto rhodes university and. Land reform will continue to be one of south africas.
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. 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. Africa land reform news, research and analysis the. Policy options for land agrarian reform south africa, institute for poverty land and agrarian studies, university of the western cape 2009, pp.
And in the case of south africa, land reform has fallen far short of expectations and objectives in every respect. President donald trump touched off a diplomatic row with south africa by repeating an erroneous broadcast about land reform there. Cnbc africas fifi peters speaks to land experts including. Accordingly, the abolition of racially based land measures act of 1991 amended in 1993 was introduced. That south africa is not primarily an agrarian society, or in order to contextualise the demand for land, thus classifying the purpose and character of prospective. Benefits and costs of land reform in zimbabwe with. The constitution allows for expropriation of property for a public purpose or in the public interest, subject to just and equitable compensation. Land reform in south africa is a moral, social and economic imperative. The continents poor development record suggests it has not leveraged its abundant agricultural land and natural resources to generate shared and sustained 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 agriculture, forestry and fisheries daff and.
Introduction what is going wrong in south africas postapartheid land reform programme, and how can its failings be addressed. Washington, july 22, 20africa is home to nearly half of the worlds usable uncultivated land, some 202 million hectares that can be brought under the plow. The collective aim of land reform is to ensure the transfer of 30% of all agricultural land to the previously disadvantaged groups by 2014 dla. 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.
We hope it will stimulate interest in the fulllength report, in which the issues and recommendations briefly described here are discussed in depth. Here i offer a diagnosis of failures, suggest a new narrative for land reform, and offer some provocations around alternative policies. It seems to me that south africas land reform is preeminently driven by the state. The framework for land reform policy was set out in the white paper on south african land policy, released by the department of. To this end the presidential advisory panel on land reform and agriculture v. Africa of south africa land reform and agriculture and. Thus far, constitutional powers of expropriation have not been used in pursuit of land redistribution. 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. Fn18 the scope of restitution and its potential for transforming the distribution of land ownership in south africa is limited because of its 19 cut off date which. Here in south africa, the issue of land redistribution is complex, and has a long history characterized by a series of ineffectual and. Theories of land reform and their impact on land reform. Land reform is probably one of the most difficult domestic policy issues to be dealt with by zimbabwe, namibia, south africa and australia. Land redistribution in south africa parliament of south.
There was no difference between apartheid and the policy of segregation of south africa which existed before the national party came into power in 1948. 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. Beneficiary participation and impact on land use in the waterberg district. Perceptions regarding land reform debate, progress made and challenges encountered in.
Land reform definition is measures designed to effect a more equitable distribution of agricultural land especially by governmental action. The analysis shows that land reform in south africa is slow, mainly due to financial, infrastructural and capacity challenges. Diagnostic report on land reform in south africa parliament of. Human needs, land reform and the south african constitution lawrence hamilton abstract this paper argues that the poor delivery on land reform in post apartheid south africa is best explained through a close analysis of the form. Section 25 5 provides that the state must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within its available resources, to foster conditions which enable citizens to gain access to land on an equitable basis. Land policy proposals south african history online. 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.
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