CAPE TOWN - The Department of Agriculture, Land Affairs and Rural Development came under fire for its “slow pace of the land reform programme” during the department’s R17.3 billion budget debate on Thursday.
Speaking during the mini-budget debate on Thursday, Minister Thoko Didiza said the agricultural sector had shown buoyancy over the past two years.
Didiza said the economic growth and relative stability in the agricultural sector were in danger of being eroded by various factors affecting the agricultural trade, indulging geopolitics.
“The current Russian-Ukraine conflict has the potential to scupper our growth as there are real concerns of potential impact of escalating food prices since the two countries are major exporters of grain, seed oils, fertiliser and crude oil products,” she said.
Deputy Minister Mcebisi Skwatsha said they believed the country was making sure land its land was shared on an equitable basis.
Skwatsha said the department managed to allocate 38 000ha of land to target vulnerable groups.
In terms of the release of state land for land reform, the department has allocated 679 944 ha of agricultural land to various vulnerable groups, farmers, co-operatives, communities and vulnerable groups.
But DA Mp Annette Steyn said interactions with farmers and community members on the ground showed that the slow pace of land reform was due to numerous governance failures such as a lack of capacity in government departments.
“The ongoing chaotic management of land administration and constant under achievement of targets is a direct reflection on the poor strategic leadership of this department.
“We need political will to bring about clear land transformation; we need to provide certainty that property rights will be protected, and that expropriated land will be compensated and follow due process.
The EFF’s Sam Matiase said his party rejected the “uninspired budget” that was out of touch with land and agricultural challenges in the country.
Matiase said there was a lack of political will to take tough decisions and restructure the agrarian economy to ensure it was largely redistributed.
He charged that it was inexcusable and treasonous since 1994 that white people still own more than 70% of agricultural land and Africans own 4%.
“We need a radical policy shift and, minister, that cannot be premised on your childish view sponsored by Johan Kirsten from Stellenbosch that land redistribution will be successful if white farmers are encouraged to donate land,” Matiase said.
Replying during the debate, Didiza said they agreed on the need to fast-track land reform.
“We should not be one-sided. We should make the same call to land owners. More time is spent on negotiations on price and some dispute there was land dispossession,” she said.
Cape Times