Chairperson, hon Minister, Deputy Minister and hon members, the land reform programme is an enormous task for all of us. Land dispossession has been institutionalised over decades. Remedial measures have to be understood in the context of reconciliation, perseverance and understanding. I repeat that it is an enormous task for victims, perpetrators, support organisations, as well as Government as a facilitator.
In the process of land dispossession the beneficiaries unjustly enriched themselves substantially. Even up to this very day their generations live off the fruits of that unscrupulousness. It is said time and again by various stakeholders in KwaZulu-Natal that the land reform process, particularly restitution, has been a very slow process. However, one does understand that, if handled callously, restitution could cause serious tension. It should be understood clearly that this Government is committed to assisting in the redress of the imbalances of the past.
Those who planted the seeds of dispossession are also contributing to the slow pace by failing to negotiate reasonable prices for land. The Department of Land Affairs is faced with the problem of having to facilitate this lengthy process. People on the ground fail to understand the complexities of land reform.
For the purpose of my speech I will focus on the restitution claims on rural land as it affects the poorest of the poor, particularly women in Natal who have to work the land. We must admit that restitution has been a slow process. The Ministry has recognised this fact and appropriate mechanisms are being put in place. The process has been changed to follow the administrative route, rather than relying too much on the legal route.
We, as Government, appreciate the work of progressive nongovernmental organisations with the support of communities on the ground. At the same time, we must understand that the process cannot be expedited at the expense of the quality of the service, otherwise restitution will be seen as some sort of rural dumping without development opportunities. I know that understanding this is an emotive issue.
State services and infrastructure need to be put in place and the traditional leadership engaged. The return of the land to the people faces many challenges, namely land, new sustainable development, provision of basic services and community organisation. We need social harmony if restitution is to achieve its desired purpose. We cannot afford to have a situation in which there are oppressive social relations and an emerging class struggle. If restitution is handled carelessly, there is a likelihood of tension emerging.
Our Government is conscious of the fact that the views of the affected people are indispensable and acknowledges their suffering and pain. The national land committee task group has made a project proposal for the establishment of a body called the Community-Driven Restitution Initiative. It is aimed at informing claiming communities about the process that the Department of Land Affairs, and the commission on the restitution of land rights, has put in place in an attempt to speed up the process, to ensure that the claiming communities are centrally involved in the process and that they make informed decisions. This project will ensure closer working relations among the Department of Land Affairs and the national land committee, the commission on the restitution of land rights and restitution- claiming communities. The proposal, if accepted, will go a long way towards speeding up the process.
Having said that, it must be borne in mind that restitution does not come cheaply. It is an expensive process. It is estimated that for KwaZulu-Natal alone R37 million will be needed for the financial year 1999-2000 to settle only seven rural claims. This has serious implications for post-settlement support. I think that the current market value of land concept needs to be revisited. How on earth does one take so much money and compensate people for land that was unfairly acquired? One is leaving the recipient of the compensation in an even better financial position than before. The bulk of the money should rather be spent on improving the livelihood of the returning communities.
This brings us to the issue of emerging farmers. Land dominates the assets structure of the farm. Therefore if land is managed properly it should yield returns to infinity. That is precisely why post-settlement support in terms of provision of basic services, such as extensions, becomes important. In addition, subsistence farming is a business, therefore it is necessary to provide emerging farmers with skills that they need so that they can make informed decisions. These farmers need to prosper from the returns provided by agriculture. Extension workers need to provide effective agricultural facilitation and assistance to enable communities to realise a livelihood from agriculture.
The farming community needs to organise itself into local community structures. More often than not, the common problem faced by communities is that of poor leadership structures. There is often inefficiency within local community structures. Land is sometimes left uncropped and this leads to exploitation of natural resources, to environmental degradation and decreasing returns in agriculture.
In conclusion, we commend the Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs for introducing the new grant aimed at redistributing at least 15% of agricultural land over a five-year period to emerging black farmers. We also commend her for her support for the rights of women with regard to land and her commitment to addressing tenure issues. This is, indeed, encouraging. [Applause.]