Land reform is a conversation all of SA must have

“Land Reform is a conversation all South Africans must have. CPIs, communities and investors must engage government and policymakers alike,” says Peter Setou of Vumelana Advisory Fund.

20 April 2018, South Africa: Following the announcement by the Joint Constitutional Review Committee calling for written public submissions on the review of section 25 of the Constitution (Property Clause) and other sections where necessary, to make it possible for the state to expropriate land without compensation in the public interest, the Vumelana Advisory Fund is appealing to Communal Property Institutions (CPIs), community leaders, commercial partners and investors and other intended beneficiaries of the land reform programme to participate  in this process through written and oral submissions to the Committee. The Vumelana Advisory Fund is a non-profit organisation that helps beneficiaries of the land reform programme to develop their land in an effective and sustainable way.

“Given the importance of land reform for these key players, it is crucial for communities and CPIs in particular to understand the value of their involvement and the impact that their voice will have within these discussions and that their experiences can help put a sharp focus on current challenges and concerns within the land reform programme, including possible solutions,” says Peter Setou, Chief Executive of the Vumelana Advisory Fund. “CPIs, commercial partners and investors as well as communities will provide vital insights that could help shape and guide the future of land reform in South Africa, as they have first-hand experience on what has worked and has not worked.  They can help identify the gaps and help shape the land reform programme,’’ says Setou.

Setou notes: “It is also critical to acknowledge that land reform has different dimensions. It has urban and rural dimensions and involves more than just the agriculture sectors as there are other sectors such as tourism as an example. Land reform in South Africa is further implemented via different programmes namely land redistribution, restitution and tenure reform, and each programme has its own dynamics. All of this has to be taken into account in developing and implementing interventions”.

Discussions and deliberations on the proposed review of Section 25 of the Constitution should not be left to politicians alone but must echo the diverse voices of those currently involved in land reform, as well as future beneficiaries.

“The critical feedback by communities and intended beneficiaries of the land reform programme is a key ingredient in making this process a success,” highlights Setou. “In our work, we have found that decisions taken on the land reform programme without the input of intended beneficiaries and other key stakeholders often miss the mark,” he says. “The public needs to be adequately informed in order for them to be involved and play an activist role in the ongoing discussions about this issue.

“Vumelana appeals to community leaders to play their civic duty role and rally communities to exercise their constitutional prerogative of making their voices heard and making a meaningful contribution to these discussions that will not only impact on their future, but that of generations to come,” says Setou.

According to Setou, the Constitution makes provision for public participation in the policy making process and further gives members of the public, regardless of their social standing, the opportunity to have meaningful public consultations with the relevant governmental representatives.  However, many communities often don’t exercise these rights, either due to lack of awareness or apathy.

Since its inception in 2012, Vumelana has been working together with communities and investors to facilitate successful community private partnerships in the land reform programme to ensure that land is productive, creates jobs and improves the overall livelihood of beneficiaries of the land reform programme and communities. “There needs to be some level of information sharing with the communities leading up to the deadline for submissions in May 2018 in order to create an understanding of what this process is about. Communities further need to understand the impact that this will have on the country, the economy, employment creation, food security and social cohesion among other things, not only today but in the future,” says Setou

The public hearing process on the expropriation of land without compensation is scheduled to begin on 8 May in Limpopo.

All written submission must be made by Thursday 31 May 2018. Parties that wish to make oral submissions are urged to send their requests to Pat Jayiya at pjayiya@parliament.gov.za or call 021 403 3661 by no later than Thursday 31 May 2018. –Press release

Source: AgriOrbit