Madam Chairperson, the question of land lies very near to my heart. I was born on a farm in the Free State and I am married to a farmer from the Eastern Cape. For this reason I believe that I understand the burning issues of land reform very well. Successful land reform in any country is difficult. It is clear that everyone has underestimated the complexity of getting this right in South Africa. Hon Minister, it is a challenging task that lies ahead of us - to address the land question comprehensively. Land remains the basic source of livelihood of the majority of South Africans and is key to the development of agriculture, tourism, mining, housing and industry. The effects of Zimbabwean land reform since 2000 as a dissident model of radical land reform need to be recognised. An important lesson should be learned, that by not addressing the problem of inequitable land and natural resource ownership, we are likely to fuel agitation for radical land reform.
It is therefore imperative that South Africa's skewed patterns of land ownership be addressed. Rural land reform should not be seen in terms of redistribution alone, but should be carried out with the very clear objectives of making life better for the beneficiaries of land reform and increasing the prosperity of South Africa as a whole. Mr Minister, it is therefore very important that we take a critical look at our land reform programme. The question of how many people want land and for what purposes has not been answered satisfactorily. A proper land audit of private land is also outstanding.
Successful farming requires not only money, but also access to agricultural extension services, training and capital for land development. Post- transfer support to beneficiaries has been a critical gap in land reform. A recent review by the Department of Land Affairs indicated that only 49% of land reform projects were sustainable in terms of agricultural production and the livelihoods of beneficiaries.
In die huidige ekonomiese klimaat is dit noodsaaklik om te verseker dat ons ons huis in orde kry, voordat dit oorweeg word om nog miljarde rande ekstra te begroot vir grondhervorming. Kritiese vrae wat beantwoord behoort te word, is of al die poste binne die departement gevul is? Is die personeel wat in hierdie departemente werk behoorlik opgelei? Is daar voldoende programme in plek om nuwe grondeienaars te ondersteun? (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[In the current economic climate it is essential to ensure that we put our house in order before we consider committing further millions of rand to land reform. Critical questions that need to be asked are the following: Have all the vacancies in the department been filled? Have the staff members working in the department been properly trained? Are there adequate programmes in place to support new landowners?]
My own answer to these questions is, no. I have personally had correspondence from many frustrated farmers who have shown interest in land reform initiatives which would entail the transfer of land to emerging farmers on a willing buyer, willing seller basis. Not only would this transfer entail the land resources and equipment as ongoing operations, but it would also entail, most importantly, a period of mentorship to ensure a smooth transition and future sustainability. These partnerships would be, to my mind, the only way to ensure that productivity on the farm was maintained, and for that matter increased. In doing this, we would ensure that we once again become net exporters of food. We are not going to afford to be net importers. I agree with what the Minister said earlier about agriculture. We have to ensure that we make the process as easy as possible and not frustrate buyers and sellers with the red tape of all the inefficiencies of the department.
I also do not understand how the department could allow that a farm that was sold to an emerging farmer three years ago could go back onto the market and be sold to a white farmer again. This was the case in my neighbouring town of Venterstad. We have to follow up on these issues to ensure that all land reform programmes succeed. Mr Minister, the categorisation of land reform beneficiaries is a move in the right direction and is something that the DA has been proposing in its policies.
For land reform to work, the various role-players have to trust each other. This requires good leadership, from the presidential to the local level. There has to be a sense of joint commitment to a common destiny. A government-led environment should be urgently created, in which frank discussions of the issues involved is encouraged and practical solutions found. It is in the best interests of all South Africans that we come up with a workable solution. I thank you. [Applause.]