Department of Rural Development and Land Reform 2012 Strategic Plan
NCOP Land Reform, Environment, Mineral Resources and Energy
22 May 2012
Chairperson: Ms A Qikani (ANC, Eastern Cape)
Meeting Summary
The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) presented its strategic and Annual Performance Plan (APP) for the period 2012/2013. The Department outlined the key priorities of the Department for this year, of restitution, land reform, rural development and cadastral services management. It noted the eight strategic goals that were linked to these priorities, saying that The DRDLR outlined the eight strategic goals that underline its 2012/2013 APP. These goals and objectives all served the purpose of implementing the department’s agrarian transformation strategy which is guided by the department’s vision of providing vibrant, equitable and sustainable rural communities. The DRDLR explained that the strategic goals in the APP were also linked to the Millennium Development Goals. The Department hoped to achieve the transfer of all validated claims on state land by the end of 2012/13, as well as to complete financial compensation claims. Land reform activities were primarily aimed at ensuring productivity, as well as acquisition and allocation of strategically located land. There would also be a focus on the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) in 22 prioritised poor districts, and the Department was aiming to create jobs through infrastructural projects and rural enterprise revitalisation of rural towns, which was where the National Rural Youth Services Corps would participate. Cadastral service management involved the updating of the state land register, as well as the implementation of the e-cadastre system. The five programme areas were outlined, with their budgetary allocations, and the main projects were stated for each. The second programme, of Geo-Spatial and Cadastral Services, sought to develop integrated land planning and a special information and administration system to promote equitable and sustainable land use and allocation. The rural development programme, which was allocated R934 million in this financial year, would be attending to recapitalisation and development support to land reform beneficiaries and rural communities, and would aim to profile rural households to improve efforts at improving their food security. The Restitution programme was allocated R3 billion, and the Land Reform programme received R3.2 billion. The Department indicated that it would be trying to achieve job creation and alleviate poverty, by providing socio-economic infrastructure in rural communities. Detailed slides were presented on specific targets, and budget breakdown.Members expressed their displeasure that the presentation documents had been given to them only a short time prior to the meeting, and noted that they were not equipped to ask the necessary questions. This placed the Committee in an invidious position as it would have to be properly informed before the budget vote in June. Members decided that another meeting must be scheduled for them to ask questions, and insisted that any necessary documentation must be furnished at least three days in advance of meetings.
Meeting report
Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) 2012 Strategic PlanMr Simon Meyer, Deputy Director General (DDG), DRDLR, tabled the strategic and Annual Performance Plans (APP) for 2012. He noted that four key priorities were identified in the APP, namely: restitution, land reform, rural development and cadastral services management.
Mr Meyer noted the eight strategic goals that were linked to these priorities (see attached presentation for full details), saying that all these goals and objectives served the purpose of implementing the Department’s agrarian transformation strategy. This was, in turn guided by the Department’s vision of providing vibrant, equitable and sustainable rural communities. He added that the strategic goals were also linked to Millennium Development Goals.
He noted that in respect of restitution, the DRDLR or the Department aimed to achieve the transfer of all validated claims on state land by the end of 2012/13, as well as to complete financial compensation claims. He noted that in the second priority area, it was hoped to deal with the recapitalisation of land reform to ensure productivity, as well as the acquisition and allocation of strategically located land. In the third priority area of rural development, there would be a focus on the roll out of the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) in 22 prioritised poor districts, as well as the creation of jobs through infrastructural projects and rural enterprise revitalisation of rural towns. It would be in this area that there would be involvement of the National Rural Youth Services Corps (NARYSEC), which was aimed at encouraging the youth to participate in agricultural enterprise through skills development. The fourth priority area of cadastral service management involved the updating of the state land register, as well as the implementation of the e-cadastre system.
Mr Meyer noted that the Department was organised into five programme areas of Administration, Geo-spatial and cadastral Services, Rural Development, Restitution, and Land Rreform.
The administration programme had the objective of ensuring compliance with relevant policies and legislation governing the management of the public sector land, as well as implementing rural development and land reform policies and legislation that would have been developed in the lead-up to 2014. The total budget allocation for the Administration programme was just over R1 billion. The Department reported that it had a target of bringing down the current vacant posts to 10%.On the policy development side, the Department planned to submit 11 pieces of legislation to Parliament as well as initiate 10 policies to be processed during the course of the current year.
The second programme, of geo-spatial and cadastral services, sought to achieve the development of an integrated land planning, spatial information and administration system that would promote equitable and sustainable land use and allocation by 2014. The Department aimed to continue the e-cadastral system to monitor land deeds and it also aimed to train 60 people in geomatics for the programme. The Department had also set a targert of surveying 2.7 million hectares of state land which would also ensure that all state land was accounted and registered and that everyone knew where this land was located. The overall budget for this programme was R562 million.
The third programme, of rural development, aimed to achieve a number of objectives. Firstly, it sought to achieve implementation of integrated service delivery, which would be facilitated by the coordination of government and development stakeholders. It would be giving recapitalisation and development support to land reform beneficiaries and rural communities. It aimed to profile rural households, in order to improve efforts at improving their food security. This programme also would facilitate and improve socio-economic infrastructure, to lead on to improved access to services. It also would continue to develop skills and identify and promote sustainable economic opportunities up to 2014. The total budget allocation for the rural development programme was R934 million for the 2012/13 financial year.
The fourth programme of restitution was geared towards facilitating the restitution of land rights or awards of alternative forms of equitable redress to claimants whose claims were to be finalised within the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period. The total budget allocation for this programme was R3 billion.
The fifth programme, of land reform, aimed to achieve the objectives of documenting strategically located land, and to have it acquired and allocated by 2014. It would ensure that recapitalisation and development support was provided to land reform beneficiaries and rural communities. It also would be dealing with skills development and sustainable economic opportunities. The total budget allocation for the land reform programme was R3.2 billion. Mr Shabane summarised that the total MTEF allocation for all of the programmes, in the 2012/13 period, amounted to R8.8 billion.
Mr Shabane tabled a number of slides (see attached presentation) that showed detailed targets, outcomes and programme priorities, to illustrate the work in each of the Department’s programmes. The same was done for the budgetary breakdown across each of the programmes.
Mr Shabane noted that in the 212/13 year, it was intended that eleven pieces of legislation would be submitted to Parliament. The Department aimed to develop ten policy instruments, including policy on Communal Land Tenure and a review of the land management and administrative systems. Consultations on the Green Paper had been finalised, and this would be submitted to Cabinet during this year. He further noted that work had commenced on the Green Paper on Rural Development. Final proposals would include a policy on a Rural Development Agency, and possibly a Rural Cooperatives Bank. Various rural enterprise models would be developed to further facilitate the implementation of Phases 1 and 2 of the CRDP.
He briefly outlined the intention of the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Bill, 2012, noting that this would introduce a more uniform regulatory environment for planning and land use, and try to align existing legislation. It should lead to public policy formulation and address incorrect settlement growth patterns.
Mr Meyer tabled several slides (see attached presentation) showing the provincial breakdown of national targets, by programme, concentrating on the rural development and land reform programmes.
Mr Meyer then summarised that the DRDLR committed itself to achieving the goals and objectives documented in the APP. The Department also acknowledged the need for these plans to contribute towards alleviation of poverty, reduction of unemployment and the improvement of access to basic services, through the provision of socio-economic infrastructure in rural communities. He wished to assure the Committee that measures were in place to ensure that the implementation of these APP strategies and plans was effectively monitored and evaluated, through the Department’s Chief Directorate for Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation, and summarised that a number of committees, including those for risk, audit and strategic management, were in place.
Discussion
The Chairperson asked the Committee to pose questions to the Department, based on the presentation
Mr D Worth (DA,
Ms N Magadla (ANC, KwaZulu Natal) agreed with the sentiments expressed by Mr Worth, and added that it would be pointless to pose any questions simply for the sake of doing so.
Mr O De Beer (COPE,
The Chairperson echoed the strong dissatisfaction of other Members at the late submission of documents by the Department. He adjourned the meeting for a while, to allow the Members to discuss what they wished to do about the late submission of the report.
On resumption, the Chairperson noted that the Committee had decided that another day should be scheduled for the Members to ask questions of the Department. The report and any other documents required should be provided to the Committee at least three days prior to the next date.
Mr Mduduzi Shabane, Director-General, DRDLR, apologised and assured the Committee that his Department would furnish the necessary documents as instructed.
The meeting was adjourned.
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