Hon Chairperson, the DA welcomes sustainable and equitable land reform and rural development. We view this as a moral necessity to correct the imbalances of the past, and as a fundamental condition to growing our economy to benefit all South Africans. The DA believes in an open opportunity society for all.
The DA welcomes Minister Nkwinti and congratulates him on his appointment as the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform. Since his appointment, he has recognised a need to address problems in the rural areas by drafting strategic plans and a programme of action for his department to work on. The DA welcomes his hands-on approach in the department to lead by example. We have seen, witnessed and heard about his active involvement in all projects in his department.
The DA, however, is concerned about the small budget allocation of R505 million for rural development. This amount was shifted from R2,6 billion for grants under land reform. This budget will limit development in the rural areas. Poverty and lack of infrastructure will continue.
According to a study of the Centre for Development and Enterprise, in 2008- 09 the Department of Land Affairs had R6,6 billion to spend on all its programmes. To put this in perspective: Just a handful of claims on valuable coastal land could cost R1 billion to settle. This was not done. It shows a lack of commitment from officials to serve the nation.
The DA views this portfolio as crucial for rural development, and one which has been neglected for a long time. We extend a hand of co-operation to the Minister's department, while also assuring him of our critical engagement when things go wrong. We will be doing this as a commitment in order to ensure that all South Africans enjoy and share in the wealth of this country.
Minister, when you review the willing buyer, willing seller policy, are you going to consider the market value of property?
The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform faces many challenges. It has inherited one of the poorly functioning departments under the previous Department of Agriculture and Land Affairs. The reality is that many landless people still feel neglected in the democratic dispensation. Our collective task is to address as a matter of urgency the target of reaching 30% of land redistribution by 2014, which seems unachievable.
The previous administration sought to introduce manifestly unconstitutional laws, such as the expropriation Bill, to accelerate land redistribution, but this was not going to work but rather scare off investors. We need to develop legally justifiable laws that would speed up land reform processes, and ensure that new landowners are provided with adequate post-settlement financial and material support. It is indeed an indictment that over 50% of land reform projects are failing because the state does not provide adequate support to the land reform beneficiaries. South Africa cannot afford this when millions of our people face the danger of food shortages, go to bed without food, and are without work. We need to accelerate the settlement process of over 4000 land restitution claims which still remain unsettled, and remove bureaucratic bottlenecks which hinder the settlement process. We need to upgrade land titles to freehold titles with regard to as many South Africans as is legally and economically feasible. It is indeed an anomaly that there are still South Africans who hold their under- apartheid title deeds when we are 15 years into democracy. This is a challenge.
The hon Minister must take swift steps to ensure that the more than one third vacant posts in his department are filled with properly qualified people. We cannot afford cadre deployment, when our people go hungry and remain landless.
Mohl Modulasetulo, re le ba DA, ga re kgotsofat?we ke ma?eleng ao a abet?wego kgoro ye. Re bona ma?eleng a a le fase kudu go phethagat?a dillo t?a set?haba. Re rata go lemo?a mmu?o gore ge ba rata go tlhabolla set?haba, ba swanet?e go se gane ka ma?eleng. Ke kgale dinagamagae di hlokomologilwe, ke ka fao go nyakegago ditirelo t?e nt?i t?a go thiba dikgala t?eo. [T?hwahlelo.] (Translation of Sepedi paragraph follows.)
[Hon Chairperson, the DA is concerned about the small budget allocation for this department because it is not enough to meet the needs of the nation. The government has to allocate enough money to develop the nation. The rural areas have been neglected for a very long time with regard to service delivery, hence the vacant posts. [Interjections.]]