Thank you, hon Chair.
In terms of land redistribution, we will, as a medium-term intervention, take a closer look at the relevant legislation currently before this House, including the Land Use Management Bill, as directed by the President yesterday. Furthermore, we will finalise the review ... Perhaps "review" is too strong a word, but we will certainly take a closer look at the willing- buyer, willing-seller model of land redistribution, as well as investigating other less costly alternative models of land redistribution. It is clearly not possible over the next five years, particularly under the current economic recession, to raise R71 billion to fulfil this requirement. This is an imperative intervention in ensuring that we find mechanisms to speed up land reform processes.
It is our considered view that we need to get into close interaction with those South Africans who are privileged enough today to control land resources in our country to ensure that we debate this issue and collectively find solutions that will be favourable to all South Africans.
With regard to tenure reform, we will review policy and legislation relating to tenure security and in particular patterns of land ownership. This relates to the point I have made above. We will enhance the capacity of the state to effectively respond to challenges of land administration, to create certainty and unlock development potential in these areas. Our view is that some of the blockages are more internal institutional problems that need to be resolved.
It was imperative for us to take bold steps to deal effectively with hunger and poverty. No South African should go to bed hungry when we have the possibility of optimal use of and benefit from our relatively vast natural resources. We shall, therefore, through the rural development programme, improve social and economic infrastructure, public amenities and facilities.
I have said what the President thinks, but I heard the secretary-general of the ANC say: "We want you to build dams. Construct dams, provide fences, mechanisation, shearing shears, and all these kinds of practical issues." I have also heard the Deputy President say: "Why don't you look at all the boarding schools that are closing down?" Some of the buildings are still there, but they're dilapidated. "Why don't you go and look at them, renovate them and turn them into centres of excellence in education? Get the best coaches to train children in sports. Get the parents to plough the land and grow vegetables to cook for their children." These are elements of a model of rural development, one from the President, another from the secretary-general and yet another from the Deputy President of the country. Their wish is our command.
We are talking about rural development as a cross-cutting function. We are looking at working together with other departments, municipalities and South Africans in the private sector, NGOs, to look at issues such as clean water, sanitation and even ICT hubs. It is not fair that children from rural areas must go to cities to go to the cinema or the theatre. We are looking at livestock and crop farming, electricity, communal and household gardening, on- and off-farm roads, small-scale irrigation schemes, recreational facilities for young people, revival of land that is lying fallow, and conservation for local economic development, as well as human development. This is what we want to do as part of our mandate - social cohesion and development.
When we are talking about development, we really refer to shared prosperity: equity, full employment and cultural progress in the long term. This will be the bedrock and the measure against which the success of this programme should be measured. We have to reverse the creeping fragmentation of rural communities and restore the spirit of ubuntu. Umntu ngumntu ngabantu. [I am because of you.]
In fast-tracking the implementation of all our land reform programmes, working together with the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs, we will ensure that the Water for Growth and Development Strategy is implemented and that water allocation reform is an integral part of the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme to ensure equitable distribution of this scarce natural resource. For every community plan and every land reform project, we will ensure that sufficient water is secured for that purpose and that there is optimal use and management of this natural resource.
It is of critical importance that during this difficult period of economic recession we strive to put in place measures to harness and streamline available rural development financing to make sure that it is accessible, affordable and effective. We are currently developing a national template which will serve as a framework to guide all spheres of government in the implementation of the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme. We have identified the greater Giyani Local Municipality, especially the villages of Muyexe, Dingamanzi and Gon'on'o, as pilot sites. As we speak, all three spheres of government are working together with the people of Giyani, concretising their Comprehensive Rural Development Programme priorities and costing them. In addition to Giyani, we will, in the next three months, roll out the programme to other provinces: KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, the Free State, the Eastern Cape and the North West. Next week we are going to Riemvasmaak in the Northern Cape to interact with that community to better understand their developmental needs and thus work together with them and other departments and other stakeholders to bring about change in their lives. The Riemvasmaak community, which in the past received more that 75 000 hectares of land, shall be receiving a further 46 000 hectares through the restitution programme during this Land Month of June. As we interact with them next week, we want to understand the best interventions and initiatives to effectively deal with the prevailing poverty in that area.
The Comprehensive Rural Development Programme is not another social security programme. Its key objective is social cohesion and development. It is therefore important that communities organise themselves, and that we assist them to organise themselves as well in the spirit of "Vukuzenzele! Hi ti hluvukisa!" [Get up and do it for yourself! We develop ourselves!]
I have committed myself as part of development, because I need to develop in this regard. I have committed myself, with the traditional leaders of Giyani, that every time we visit there over the next two years, we will be involved with them, that we will have 30 minutes and that I will learn the language.