Many communities that have accepted land reform have seen the end of the land reform program last year.
However, the policy and regulatory milestones that have been implemented over the past two years offer hope.
While some skeptics may point to the failure of the past land reform program as evidence of a lack of politics to speed up the process, it would be wrong to discount the foundations that have been created, despite the disruptions brought by the Covid pandemic.
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Admittedly, the lethargic pace of land reform, related to the “capture” of this process by the political elite, in some cases, and the reported widespread failure of some communities to translate land that claims to be productive, has added to the aggravation and growing frustration.
After the national elective conference in December 2022, the ANC has adopted several resolutions on the land reform programme.
The government acknowledges the capacity problem
The conference confirmed that the government recognized the capacity problem of the Land Bank and decided that the capacity of the bank must be strengthened in order to fulfill its mandate.
Furthermore, it is recognized that there is a need to speed up the implementation of the new Expropriation Act, which is at an advanced stage in the legislative process.
Importantly, the conference emphasized that the process of turning unused land into production should be accelerated and the new Land Reform and Agricultural Development Agency should be established as soon as possible.
It is also recognized that there is a need to address access to water use rights for rural communities and develop strategies to increase land productivity in communal areas.
In addition, it is proposed that the Land Redistribution Bill be introduced to facilitate equitable access to land.
The ANC is also committed to establishing clear legislative criteria for the beneficiaries of the land to be distributed by the state. It will target all those who work on the land, such as farm workers, farm dwellers and small-scale and commercial farmers.
Although the resolution is necessary, there is still a huge gap between the resolution and its implementation. A timeline for achieving these resolutions, as well as addressing other challenges identified in the past, must be clearly outlined to drive a successful land reform program.
‘Setting up to fail’
The truth is, 28 years on, the current state of the land reform program has left many communities feeling like they have failed. They lack access to finance and markets, lack clear water use rights and lack technical expertise. If implemented effectively, the proposed changes could make a real difference to South Africa’s land reform.
The work still needs to be done
During the ANC’s elective conference, President Cyril Ramaphosa admitted that, although the ruling party has made some steps to restore land to communities that were forcibly evicted through the policies of the past regime, much work remains to be done.
He said the government has been able to transfer more than four million hectares through restitution and more than five million hectares through redistribution, accounting for nearly 11% of commercial agricultural land. “This is far from the initial target of 30% in 2014,” the president told delegates at the conference.
The challenges facing the land reform program are not new. They have been highlighted in several reports such as the Motlanthe High Level Panel, whose recommendations have not been implemented.
Lack of post-settlement support for successful claimant communities is a barrier identified by the Vumelana Advisory Fund as one of the main obstacles to successful land reform. That is why we have facilitated a partnership between the claimant community and private sector investors, to close this gap.
The land question is an important political and economic imperative that must be resolved to ensure stability, economic sustainability and social cohesion.
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-Setou is the chief executive of Vumelana Advisory Fund