Land reform is necessary in south africa, but that is about the only issue regarding land reform on which there is consensus. This is particularly true for south africa, where the racial policies of apartheid and agricultural policies aimed. Solving africa s land issues to boost productivity, alleviate poverty and eradicate hunger. Africans towards assorted policies of land redistribution and. Land settlement and agriculture in mopani district, limpopo, 19th century to 2015 michelle hay a thesis submitted to the faculty of humanities, university of the witwatersrand, johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of doctor of philosophy. Based on a framework of historical institutionalism, the heritage of a distributional regime based on institutional racism is. Who will be hit hardest by land redistribution without. The larger project examines a number of institutions that shaped the politics of land, economic development, and citizenship in south africa over the last century. It is easy, at events like this, to roll out a wish list of what land reform should achieve and who it. Dec 06, 2016 south africas land reform efforts lack a focus on struggling farmers. The programmes stated targets were intended to alter the ethnic balance of land ownership.
The challenges of transformation and redistribution cherryl walker human sciences research council harold wolpe memorial trust conference cape town, 25 27 march 2004. Introduction what is going wrong in south africas postapartheid land reform programme, and how can its failings be addressed. 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 redistribution in south africa, trumps tweet, and us. South africa should speed up the redistribution of land to the black majority. Land reform in south africa is an emotive, complex, and important issue, and it. Government, land owners, csos and citizens should work together to make land reform a success. 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.
The objective of this study was to assess the extent to which land reform policy and implementation programmes have. It can therefore be argued that inequality in land distribution in south africais a direct consequence of a colonial legacy that saw land being appropriated from black people. Initially, land was bought from its owners willing seller by the government willing buyer and redistributed, in order to maintain public confidence in the land market. An analysis of the impact of land redistribution projects. The process of acquiring and distributing a particular piece of land is often lengthy, and this escalates the cost of redistribution because the former owner stops investing in the land. Why south africa s govt plans to strip land from white farmers 1 mar, 2018 12. 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 is a moral, social and economic imperative. Key policy issues in south africas land reform program 34. University of south africa, pretoria, south africa abstract the legacy of socioeconomic injustice which was inherited from the natives land act of 19 continues to haunt the majority of black south africans. Why south africas land reform agenda is stuck south africa. Here in south africa, the issue of land redistribution is complex, and has a long history characterized by a series of ineffectual and illdefined government programs and a lack of political will. Namibia, on the other hand, offers a more promising contrast. 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. Trumps tweets incorrectly suggest that the land distribution process in south africa is disorderly and unlawful. This brief discusses experiences with the three major phases of land redistribution policy and practice in south africa.
The need for land reform south africa suffered a long history of colonization, racial domination and land dispossession that. South africas land reform in historical perspective. Aug 15, 20 english news and press release on south africa about. South africa s constitution covers the matter in section 25. Mar 24, 2017 south africas largest telecoms operator, vodacom is spending half a billion rand to improve its network capacity over the next two months. South african farmers fear forced land redistribution. 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.
Based on a framework of historical institutionalism, the heritage of a distributional regime based on institutional racism is highlighted. Land reform in south africa is sinking nelson mandela foundation. The bigger unresolved issue of land reform in the 21st century is the need to confront the overwhelming threat of ecological collapse. With parliamentary processes ready to resume in 2019, the issue of land expropriation in south africa enters its final constitutional hurdle. The south african redistribution programme according to the 1997 white paper on south african land reform, the stated purpose of. 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. This is a marked shift in policy, and comes at a time when land reform through both. Land redistribution in south africa parliament of south africa. Under colonialism and apartheid, the ruling white minority stole vast amounts of land from black africans in zimbabwe and south africa. Does customary law go far enough to address the problem of land redistribution. South african farmers fear forced land redistribution the. As in other societies, access to land is vital for socialcultural sustainability, improved livelihoods and economic development.
Section seven is a brief inquiry into land redistribution options used internationally but that were not used in south africa. 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. Redistribution of income through taxation and spending in. How south africa should tackle the redistribution of land in urban areas editions. Land redistribution forced to centre stage in south africa. Although the system has worked in various countries in the world. Reclaiming this land became an important rallying cry for liberation movements in both countries. This is because, we argue, land redistribution in south africa has drifted away from the ideal of social justice. The land debate looks at what government has done to address land reform in south africa since the country became a democracy in 1994. Discussing the issues at the heart of the land question in south africa, this reference focuses on how to reverse the dispossessed land of the indigenous peoples and how a largescale redistribution of land can contribute to the transformation of the economy and the reduction of poverty, both rural, and urban.
The afrikaners who farmed for generations are masters of their art and they are benificial to the economy. Land reform in zimbabwe officially began in 1980 with the signing of the lancaster house agreement, as an effort to more equitably distribute land between black subsistence farmers and white zimbabweans of european ancestry, who had traditionally enjoyed superior political and economic status. Since 1996, government has transferred a considerable amount of land and settled nearly. South africa, and to what degree is a preference for. Section two is a discussion of the basic components and procedures of the land restitution programme and focuses on the restitution of land rights act 22 of 1994, the commission for the restitution of land rights and the land claims court. Johannesburg south africa s new president, cyril ramaphosa, has been forced to move on the thorny issue of largescale land redistribution more quickly than he probably would have liked by. South africa begins seizing whiteowned farms washington. The process of acquiring and distributing a particular piece of land is often lengthy, and this escalates the cost of redistribution because the former owner stops investing in the land, the report states. Second, agriculture in south africa constitutes less than three per cent of gdp although rural south africa is home to a disproportionately large landless, unemployed and impoverished population. 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.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of land reform. Why land reform is a key issue in south african elections. The focus of this publication is primarily on land restitution whereby rights to ancestral land are restored be it by a claimdriven process or a land acquisition process as an important element of land reform, although some comments will be made to land reform in general. Dfiduk is not responsible for or bound by its content.
Four land redistribution scenarios for south africa all of which are messy public protector is taking zumas side on state capture findings. The case of the land redistribution for agricultural development lrad programme in limpopo. It begins with a brief sketch of the historical background before outlining the main. Land redistribution in south africa who gets land and how. South africans prioritize land taken in forced removals, support willing seller approach afrobarometer dispatch no. Pdf this paper is an analysis of papers, reports and legislation that deals with land reform in south africa. South africa was the th largest supplier of food to the emirates, according to south african government figures, and this is likely to. Land redistribution is a constitutionally mandated function of government. Land reform, redistribution and access are therefore key issues that still need attention in south africa. Land redistribution in south africa parliament of south. Land redistribution for agricultural development 2001. How south africa should tackle the redistribution of land. Land restitution is one of the key issues since south africa achieved democracy in 1994 and as such an overview of what has been achieved since the promulgation of the restitution of land.
South africas democratic government implemented land reform to rectify these past racial. It is believed to allow previously unemployed people to participate in the economy and better the countrys economic growth. Redistributive land reform in southern africa overseas. Introduction the skewed distribution of land ownership along racial lines within the countries of southern africa is well known. Thus far, constitutional powers of expropriation have not been used in pursuit of land redistribution. This follows a spike in data traffic since the 21 day. Two main questions how well do taxes and spending in south. However, the report also points to some of the realities associated with the complex land issue in south africa. Disclaimer this report was financed by dfiduk as part of their aid programme to the government of south africa. South africas land reform efforts lack a focus on struggling.
It is a fact that 79% of land in south africa is privately owned, but a large portion of this ownership is in the form of trusts, companies and traditional authorities, only 39% can be traced to private individuals. Four land redistribution scenarios for south africa all of. Processes to transfer land land redistribution and land restitution are the two primary mechanisms the government has used to transfer formerly whiteowned farmlands into black ownership. Land expropriation without compensation the loaded term which elicits varied fervent responses from the south african public will, once again, prove its sociopolitical impetus in 2019. The natives land act of 19 engineered the poverty of. 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. Land expropriation without compensation the loaded term which elicits varied fervent responses from the south african public. Why south africas govt plans to strip land from white. More recently, without compensation is being explored as an option to speed up the process. Land redistribution for agricultural development 2 equity schemes participants can make the requisite matching own contribution, and receive equity in an agricultural enterprise tantamount to the value of the grant plus the own contribution. Twenty two years after the transition to democracy and the commencement of land reform, there is a great deal of lived experience to. Introduced in 1994, south africas land reform programme is based on both equity and economic grounds, and originates from section 25 of the constitution. The natives land act of 19 engineered the poverty of black. 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.
Redistribution is the most important component of land reform in south africa. Acknowledgements the author wishes to acknowledge the kind assistance of ddg sue lund and. From the time that white settlers arrived in south africa black people faced increasing landlessness, poverty, and insecurity on the land due to racial laws. The land reform and redistribution in south africa is a serious concern for the ruling government and must be resolved in a suitable manner.
An earlier chapter recasts the history of apartheid pass laws, showing how vagrancy laws were one piece of a continuum that. Pdf contrary to populist political discourses, in south africa the ruling partys approach to land policy is reproducing paternalistic relations. However, the views contained in this report are those of the consultant. This paper provides an overview of land reform in south africa from 1994 to 2011, with the focus on the land redistribution. The land question in south africa debates these issues against the backdrop of a land reform programme that made limited headway in the first decade of south africas democracy.
Since the advent of democracy in 1994, issues at the heart of the land question in south africa are how to reverse this phenomenon and how a largescale redistribution of land can contribute to the transformation of the economy and the reduction of poverty, both rural and urban. Land redistribution in south africa 169 edward lahiff. Aug 02, 2018 in south africa, however, the government has moved one step closer to issuing a controversial form of reparations in an attempt to make up for the effects of colonization and apartheid in the country. What is going wrong in south africas postapartheid land reform. Government will at all times act in the best interest of our nation. President donald trump touched off a diplomatic row with south africa by repeating an erroneous broadcast about land reform there. If black people who knows nothing about farming suddenly take over the farms the country will either starve or the. 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. Land expropriation in south africa is also referred to as land reform or land redistribution. In 19, south africas land act set aside 87% of the countrys land for.
Because under the terms of lrad, the grant is intended. Land redistribution in south africa university of cape town. Request pdf redistribution, restitution and reform. Solving africas land issues to boost productivity, alleviate. Jan 18, 2014 since 1994, under the nelson mandela government, land reform and redistribution in south africa remained a serious matter for the government to implement. Barriers to participation of the poor in south africas. Prospects for the land in the eastern cape province, south africa south africas history has left the country with a complex, racially. Land policy proposals south african history online. The newlyelected south african government began in 1994 to make laws and implement a programme for land reform. Although the passage from apartheid to democracy has brought immense changes, south africa is still struggling with high unemployment and pressing inequality. How south africa should tackle the redistribution of land in.
Now 16 years into democracy, landless people hope that government under the leadership of president jacob zuma, and rural development and land reform. Land claims and land restitution in south africa, prepared a fact sheet on land distribution for the institute for poverty, land. Glu social policies and redistribution in south africa iii abstract this paper aims at analyzing the effects of social policies on income inequalities in south africa since the 1990s. Case studies of recent reforms world bank documents. The land dispossession of the indigenous people of south africa under this act caused poverty which is still prevalent in our country today. Land redistribution in zimbabwe 7 simon pazvakavambwa and vincent hungwe land redistribution under the colonial state 8 early attempts to redistribute land, 1980 99 141 the fast track land redistribution program, 2000 05151 conclusion 164 note164 references165 6. The perils of land redistribution are seen in the program carried out by thenzimbabwean president robert mugabe in the late. Land redistribution has been a central plank of land policy in zimbabwe, namibia and south africa since their transition to majority rule. Land reform and redistribution in south africa guardian. Impact of land redistribution on consumption in south africa. The book offers a robust assessment of that programme and raises critical questions for its future. Programme for land and agrarian studies, university of the western cape. A critical appraisal of south africa s marketbased land reform policy. Asking questions about how to address this challenge is an urgent task.
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