“Agri Limpopo is reeds sedert 2013 intens gemoeid met die implementering en verfyning van die grondhervormingsmodel van die Nasionale Ontwikkelingsplan, juis omdat Limpopo se kommersiële boere besef dat n Zimbabwe-situasie in Suid-Afrika nie onmoontlik is nie”, het Leon Borcherds, president van Agri Limpopo, in reaksie op Pete Steyl, president van die Commercial Farmers Union of Zimbabwe, se waarskuwings aan Suid-Afrikaanse boere gesê.

Volgens Steyl, wat in Augustus as gasspreker by Agri Limpopo se jaarlikse kongres optree, het Zimbabweboere geglo dat hul grondwet hul teen onteïening sonder vergoeding sou beskerm, dat die internasionale gemeenskap ‘n ekonomiese ramp sou afweer, en arrogant verkondig dat die vryemark grondhervorming moes dikteer. Hy hoor dieselfde argumente onder landbou-leiers in Suid-Afrika.

Dr Theo de Jager, voorsitter van Agri Limpopo se beleidskomitee vir Landbou-ontwikkeling en ook lid van die Afrika-Unie se Land Policy Initiative, sê dis presies dieselfde argumente wat tot dusver teen die grondhervormingsmodel in Hoofstuk 6 van die NOP geopper was. Dit het daartoe gelei dat Agri Limpopo  met die Nasionale Beplanningskommissie, AFASA en die mega-boeregroep, Pro-agri, kragte saamgesnoer het om hierdie model te verfyn vir implementering.

Klik hier vir die volledige mediaverklaring deur Leon Borcherds.

“Limpopo se boere het ‘n unieke verhouding met ons noordelike buurman, en voel ‘n lotsgebondenheid met Zimbabwe boere” sê Willem van Jaarsveld, Hoof Uitvoerende Beampte van Agri Limpopo. “Talle Zimbabwiërs woon en werk in ons provinsie, en soos Zimbabwe het Limpopo ‘n landbougedrewe ekonomie. Ons het al behoorlik onder grondeise deurgeloop, en met vier van die nege voormalige tuislande tussen ons plase is Limpopo se boere veel meer blootgestel aan landelike armoede en die uitdagings van kleinskaalboerdery en kommunale landbou. Daarom is ons ernstig oor grondhervorming en veral dat dit moet slaag”.

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“Die nuus dat ’n spesiale eenheid deur die staatspresident, meneer Jacob Zuma, ingestel is om die sake van die Departement van Landelike ontwikkeling en Grondsake te ondersoek, is verrassend maar ook lank verwag.” 

So sê Dr Theo de Jager, voorsitter van Agri Limpopo se Landbou-ontwikkelingskomitee in reaksie op die bekendmaking dat die sake van hierdie departement vanaf 2008 tot op hede ondersoek gaan word. “Die manier hoe ondersoeke na grondeisers se bewerings gedoen is, met waardasies omgegaan is en aanbiedinge en uitbetalings aan grondeienaars hanteer is, regverdig so ’n ondersoek. Die werkswyses van hierdie departement maak dit kwesbaar vir bedrog en korrupsie”.

Klik hier vir die volledige mediaverklaring.

Agri Limpopo sien met afwagting uit na die bevindinge van hierdie spesiale ondersoek eenheid. “Ons gaan egter nie dat hierdie gebeure ons ontspoor in ons soeke na ekonomies haalbare oplossings vir die grondhervormiongsvraagstukke van SA nie” sê Theo de Jager. “Dit is die afgelope maande reeds duidelik dat hierdie departement alles moontlik doen om nie die prosesse wat oplossings soek, te vinnig te laat ontwikkel nie. Verskeie partye rondom die onderhandelingstafel het reeds hul kommer hieroor uitgespreek.

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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

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The 24-member Joint Committee on Constitutional Review, which was tasked by President Cyril Ramaphosa with assessing both the legality of and public opinion towards the controversial proposed change to the Constitution, announced that the deadline for written submissions had been extended to 15 June 2018.

Due to the widespread and intense public interest in the proposed change, the committee had also decided to hold its public hearings on the subject across all South African provinces over the period 26 June to 6 August 2018. The committee has reportedly already received over 100 000 written submissions regarding the proposed amendment, and it anticipates many more to continue to flow in ahead of the new deadline.

Annelize Crosby, head of Land Affairs with agricultural association, Agri SA, welcomed the deadline extension “as many of our affiliates will also be submitting comments. Agri SA will be ready to submit its very substantial submission by the end of May,” she said.

Chris van Zyl, assistant general manager of farmers’ union, TAU SA, also welcomed the deadline extension. He said that TAU SA had encouraged its members both individually and collectively to oppose the proposed legislation. The deadline extension for written submissions would allow them more time to do this.

“In essence, expropriation without compensation is just a legalised form of theft. This forms the brunt of our approach,” Van Zyl said. He added that TAU SA was also interested to know why government had not given title deeds to beneficiaries of previous land transfers.

Farmer’s Weekly approached the Youth section of the African Farmers’ Association of SA for comment on the deadline extension, but no response had been received at the time of going to print.

Source: Farmer’s Weekly

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Agri SA finds it disappointing, however, that the uncertainty around the ANC’s position regarding the amendment, or otherwise, of section 25 has apparently not been resolved. This uncertainty and lack of clarity as to what type of land could be targeted for expropriation without compensation and how this will happen are having a negative impact on the sector and the economy in general. Agri SA’s position is that the Constitution should not be amended. The organisation will this week submit its commentary on the matter of expropriation without compensation to the Constitutional Review Committee.

Enquiries

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