Chair, hon Minister and hon members, the ID understands that this new department faces the difficult task of trying to implement its new plans against the backdrop of decreasing available finances. It is indeed unfortunate that during the years when there was enough money, not enough was done to support the beneficiaries of land reform.
The ID agrees that all transferred land must be used productively. We are happy with the department's recognition that the land reform process has been flawed because redistributed land did not receive enough postsettlement support. The ID remains concerned that land reform is being put on hold and that we are getting conflicting signals as to how we are going to deal with this issue going forward.
South Africa needs a clear direction on policy, together with achievable targets. Minister, we also do not want to see the aspirations of the landless being continuously dashed as they have been over the past 16 years. The proposal to make land a national asset in the upcoming Green Paper must be carefully considered and debated.
The ID supports the second option - a review of current tenure policies and legislation involving the current freehold title system and land ceilings framework linked to the categorisation of farms. However, it would be wrong to attempt to bring about land redress by simply amending the Constitution due to government's own failures of the past 16 years.
I would like to call on the Minister to ensure that there is a Comprehensive Rural Development Programme that can help rural people gain access to all basic services such as roads, electricity, health, quality education, water and sanitation.
Dink u dit is regverdig om ons mense nie behoorlik te vergoed vir grond wat vandag markwaarde het van miljoene rande nie? Ons mense is baie min uitbetaal.
Hoekom kan ons mense nie reg vergoed word vir wat werklik hulle eiendom was nie? Hoe lank moet ons mense wag vir die uitstaande eise? Sal hulle vergoed word volgens markverwante pryse?
Ek hoop dat die Minister reg sal laat geskied. Ek hoop en vertrou dat die plan en aksies wat die Minister het, uitgevoer sal word. Ons sal u steun, omdat grondhervorming die hartklop van ons mense is. Armoede kan ontmoedig word wanneer ons mense grondeienaars word met dieselfde markwaarde. Hoekom moet die mense wat ons verdruk het en wat voordeel getrek het deur die land te vat, weer voordeel trek deur miljoene rande betaal te word? Dit bevorder nie demokrasie nie. Hulle het in die eerste plek ons mense verneder en nou moet hulle weer vergoed word. Ons ondersteun die begroting. Ek dank u. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Do you believe it is fair not to compensate our people properly for land that today has a market value of millions of rand? Our people were paid paltry sums.
Why should our people not be duly compensated for what was really their property? How long must our people wait for the outstanding claims? Will they be compensated at market-related prices?
I hope that the Minister will let justice prevail. I hope and trust that the Minister's plan of action will be implemented. We will support you, because land reform is the heartbeat of our people.
The fight against poverty can be promoted when our people become owners of land of the same market value. Why should the people who oppressed us and who benefited by taking away the land, benefit once more by being paid millions of rand? That does not promote democracy. It was they who humiliated our people in the first place, and now they have to be compensated once again. We support the budget. I thank you.]