Speech by Deputy Minister Mcebisi Skwatsha MP in the debate of Budget Vote of the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, July 23 2014
Honourable House Chairperson
Honourable Minister Nkwinti
My colleague - Deputy Minister Mashego- Dlamini
Honourable Members
Invited Guests
Ladies and Gentleman
Sol Plaatje, the first Secretary General of the South African Native National Congress, now the ANC, described the Natives Land Act, as the "most cruel and abominable law ever conceived since the introduction of White Rule in South Africa."
We must do everything in our power to restore our peoples "... birth-right to land, liberty and peace" as set out in our historic document the Freedom Charter.
In order to achieve this, bold and practical initiatives need to be undertaken. All reasonable proposals that have a potential to take us forward should be explored, within the confines of the Constitution of the Republic that the majority of South Africans uphold.
Honourable chair,
At first glance, the DA's open opportunity for all approach to land reform appears progressive in it's language, but upon closer examination it leaves much to be desired. Some people make the mistake of thinking that the ANC and the DA share a common policy perspective.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The African National Congress disagrees with the absurd DA view that land reform cannot be measured by the hectares of land transferred to those who were dispossessed by white rule. On the contrary, we believe that the transfer of land should be accelerated. Black people own so little land in our country, that the amount of land transferred will always be a key measure of our success. To ignore this is to perpetuate the current imbalances and status quo.
To the Freedom Front Plus and those of their ilk, who always like to exclaim - "Swaartgevaar"- every time we discuss land reform, we say you are testing the patience of our people.
This attitude negates the fundamental point made in the Freedom Charter that, "South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white."
These two parties indicate an unwillingness to embrace reconciliation and to share the land in our country.
In contrast though there are many white patriots who are farmers who see the urgent need for land reform and who are willing to assist the emerging black farmers.
We thank them and urge more of our compatriots to share their skills, experience and land.
62 percent of the voters have given us an overwhelming mandate and they expect us to do the right thing.
Asizang'ocenga !! Asizang'odlala apha !! Kudala abantu bakuthi bacinezelwa.
Honourable chair
There are some amongst us, in this chamber and outside, who for their own narrow interests want our Government to be paralysed into in-action around the issue of land, so that they can gain political mileage.
They thrive on "organised anarchy," some are members of this house and are easily recognisable.
They will not succeed in their attempts to undermine our forward-march towards a just and democratic society.
We are not going to be reckless about this process. Our approach must be informed by the material conditions that we inherited in1994.
In the book - Oliver Tambo Speaks -former President Thabo Mbeki, whilst discussing the 1994 political breakthrough in relation to "the defeat of the old and the victory of the new forces," quotes Karl Marx who observed that,
"Men make their own history, but they do not make it as they please, they do not make it under self-determined circumstances, but under circumstances existing already, given and transmitted from the past. The tradition of all dead generations weighs like a nightmare on the brains of the living . . ."
Reflecting on this, former President Mbeki says,
" the National Democratic Revolution entered into agreements during the 1990- 1994 negotiations taking into account the conditions which Marx described as not being it's "self-selected circumstances, but under circumstances existing already, given and transmitted from the past."
And he goes on to say,
" No revolution is worthy of it's name if it does not know when to enter into such compromises, and gets lost about what it should do afterwards, in pursuit of it's strategic goals."
There is a difference between form and content.
We therefore wish to repeat,
We are not going to be reckless about this process or be tempted by revolutionary sounding sound-bites that signify nothing else but emptiness in thought.
I wish to focus on some of the things we shall be implementing going forward with regard to land reform as well as indicate some of the projects to be undertaken in the short term.
LAND REFORM
This is a task that we take very seriously in the Department.
In His State of the Nation address, His Excellency President Jacob Zuma, said the following,
"Government will provide comprehensive support to smallholder farmers by speeding up land reform and providing technical, infrastructural and financial support."
Land reform is one of the tasks central towards the transformation of our society. Ordinary citizens must benefit in the post 1994 political breakthrough.
Land reform is pursued through the following four pillars:
2. Redistribution of land
3. Land tenure reform and
4. Development of the land
We inherited a fragmented land administration system. To confront the challenges of tenure insecurity, we have established a new branch called Land Tenure and Administration to ensure dedicated capacity to deal with these issues.
It is in this regard that we seek to convene a Land Tenure Summit in August 2014 in order to reach consensus on what ought to be done practically to reverse the colonial and apartheid legacy in which more than 75% of the black population is predominantly landless, property-less, unskilled and do not have secure tenure rights.
Land reform within the context of the National Development Plan is accorded the daunting task of ensuring that economic growth and integration is facilitated.
Poverty alleviation and job creation are therefore amongst key indicators that will measure the success of land reform.
To up-scale land acquisition, access and development support, we will begin to establish District land committees as envisaged by the National Development Plan.
In this financial year the focus will be on three provinces, namely Western Cape, Kwazulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, where we will pilot these important committees.
As part of our commitment to the outcome of vibrant, equitable and sustainable rural communities and food security for all, we had set out to achieve ‘Sustainable agrarian reform, with a thriving small and large farming sector'. To give practical expression to our commitment, in November 2010 the Minister launched the Free State Red Meat Value Chain Pilot. Its immediate objectives are to develop emerging farmers into commercial farmers as well as to integrate them into the Red Meat Value Chain in the Bloemfontein area.
To achieve this, an agreement was reached with Bloemfontein Abattoir for the Government to acquire the physical abattoir infrastructure and 30% shares in the business for emerging livestock farmers. The infrastructure was indeed acquired for R 30 Million and the transaction on the acquisition of shares is just being finalized.
Projects to be launched by the end of September (100 days)
I am proud to announce that in the next two months amongst the projects that the department will launch, which are practical steps to bring land and dignity back to the people are:
Limpopo Province
Farm Middeldoorn in Waterberg District
The property will be leased to Ms Pheladi Catherine Moyo who has a Bachelors' Degree in Agricultural Management from the University of Limpopo.
She is a NARYSEC participant from the 2010 intake from Marble Hall in Sekhukhune District.
Free State Province:
Farm Wildealskloof near Mangaung
Lessees are Ms Getrude Botlhoko and Ms Ramakarane. The farm supports a number of chicken producing cooperatives
North West Province:
Montana Farm
Is currently leased to Mr. G. Moagi. At the time the application was made, he had 144 animals. Today he has 283 domestic animals, is also farming buffalo and has created 4 full time jobs and 34 part time jobs.
Western Cape Province:
Mont Piquet farm near Piketberg. Is comprised of 5 portions of land (Including implements) amounting to 977.5 Hectares. Grapes and citrus fruit are grown here.
CONCLUSION
John Langalibalele Dube, the first President of the ANC, told a committee of the white parliament in 1936, referring to the Natives Land Act No 27 of 1913,
"The black ox has nowhere to feed, and the white ox has all the pasture... I am sorry if I cannot make that clear to you."
It is our task to reverse this terrible legacy which made black people trespassers on their own land. We have made big strides, there is still much more to be done.
Inde lendlela
Lunxaduva lwethu ukunyhasha lomthetho ongqondo- bugqwirha - ngathi sigxotha umshologu.
We are going to hit the road running and take South Africa forward.
Mayibuye iAfrika!
Issued by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, July 23 2014
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