Onteiening-reform – 30 farms Nothern Cape

‘n Lys wat saamgestel is deur die ANC en hul onteieningsplanne.
A TOTAL of 30 farms in the Northern Cape, including several large commercial farms, have been identified by the provincial ANC for possible expropriation without compensation once the parliamentary processes have been finalised.

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Die regering is die grootste besitter van grond in Suid-Afrika.   Dis eintlik belastingbetalers se geld wat daarvoor gebruik is.
Grond eienaars: ANC regeringsplase

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Hoeveel al hervorm is, is ‘n ope vraag, alles met rassisme en diskriminasie.
Land reform / Grondhervorming

Restitution of land (Parliament SA)

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The ANC in the Northern Cape was in the process of doing an audit of all privately-owned as well as state-owned land.

Among the properties that the ANC has identified in the Province are listed on this page.

The reasons given in the document released include: long-term occupiers, no security of tenure, adverse living conditions, part of an equity scheme, loss of shares and suspected criminal offences such as fraud, theft, etc.

On Tuesday, Deputy President David Mabuza said an inter-ministerial committee on land reform is currently fast-tracking the delivery of claimed land parcels to their rightful beneficiaries.

According to SANews.gov.za, Mabuza said this when he responded to oral questions in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

He said the inter-ministerial committee, which was established by the president last year to address bottlenecks in the implementation of key measures to accelerate land reform, will do so within the confines of the law.

“As part of this, land claims that have been outstanding for a while are expedited and finally land parcels are being delivered to the rightful beneficiaries.

“In cases where financial settlement is an option, those are also settled accordingly,” he said.

Mabuza said that in the coming months, in a bid to expedite the resolution of land claims and land redistribution, the inter-ministerial committee would pay particular attention to strengthening the capacity of the Office of the Valuer-General to speed up the process of valuations.

“Alongside the handover of land parcels, the inter-ministerial committee has been focusing on the development and implementation of a package of post-settlement support measures to enhance productivity of restituted land as well as communal land.”

Mabuza said that over the last few months the committee had dealt with the audit of land owned by government.

“Land parcels under the owners of various departments, municipalities and state-owned entities have been identified. The process of physical verification of properties earmarked for redistribution is expected to be finalised soon.

“Some of this land lies on the margins of towns where the demand for land is highest. It is hoped that these land parcels will alleviate congestion and also facilitate the creation of integrated, sustainable human settlements.”

He said state agricultural land parcels would be redistributed to support broadened participation of new entrants into the agricultural sector and expand agri-based incubation programmes.

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Meanwhile, last year AfriForum published a list of farms which had been identified for expropriation without compensation which caused a panic amongst farmers. The list included 18 farms in the Northern Cape.

“Please ascertain if your farm is on the list and, if so, kindly contact AfriForum so that we can prepare for a joint legal strategy,” the organisation urged at the time.

At the same time the ANC announced that the party had identified 139 farms to be expropriated without compensation. According to AfriForum the list of farms was kept confidential and neither the ANC nor government was willing to make the list public.

Ernst Roets, deputy CEO of AfriForum, said at the time that a preliminary investigation indicated that the list probably contained many farms that had no history of land claims and over which there currently existed no dispute between the owners and the state.

“We expect that many landowners will be shocked to learn that their property has been identified for this purpose. This is exactly why it is so important that the list be shared and for people to contact us.”

According to Roets, some of the farms on the list from last year are highly productive commercial farms. “We’re not just talking about empty land.”

AgriSA questioned the status and content of the leaked list of farms said to be earmarked for expropriation without compensation (EWC). The list was published on the weekend and led to panic amongst landowners. This follows on an initial scare tactic by the ANC to target 139 farms for EWC.

In a press statement then, AgriSA said it was in the process of establishing the legitimacy of the list of farms. AgriSA was contacted for comment yesterday but were unavailable.

MPs yesterday agreed that the Section 25 amendment won’t be passed before the elections.

https://www.dfa.co.za/news/30-farms-in-nc-targeted-for-expropriation-19876633

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“ABSOLUTELY preposterous!” This is how one senior city official described the list of farms in the Northern Cape identified by the provincial ANC for possible expropriation without compensation.

The ANC listed 30 farms in the Northern Cape, including several large commercial farms, for possible expropriation without compensation once the parliamentary processes have been finalised.

Vineyards and mixed-farming farms in the Keimoes, Kakamas and Kanoneiland area seem to be on the radar on the list published on social media earlier this week by ANC provincial secretary Deshi Ngxanga.

Ngxanga said yesterday that the ANC in the Northern Cape was in the process of doing an audit of all privately-owned as well as state-owned land.

“This is to ensure that once the process of amending Section 25 of the Constitution has been finalised, we are able to speedily ensure that the land is distributed to especially young people who are interested in working the land,” said Ngxanga.

The official meanwhile dismissed the list as “absolutely stupid”. “What other words can one use to describe a situation where a convicted felon is still in possession of a farm?”

He was referring to the farm Taaiboschdraai in Petrusville which was leased to John Block.

“The fact that a person like this is still in possession of a farm provides little confidence that farms in the Northern Cape, once expropriated, will be distributed equally and fairly to those who have a knowledge of farming.”

He pointed out that several farms purchased by the state for restitution had, after just a few years, ended up in the courts. “There was no aftercare and most of these farms are no longer producing. Many have been leased back to white farmers, while the acquisition of these farms have been dogged with corruption.”

He pointed out that many of the farms have also ended up supporting diamond mining. “Massive profits are being made by the diamond companies but if you ask the communities who were supposed to benefit, they will tell you that they have received very little meaningful reward after they were given the land. The diamond mining companies got rich, but the beneficiaries have remained poor.”

He added that as much as he supported expropriation, it should not be used as a political tool.

Sensationalism

“The landowners had to acquire bonds to purchase their farms, they did not take it by force. The publication of this list is sensationalism and political rhetoric without any thought for the consequences. No one whose land has been identified is going to have the will or desire to continue farming on the land. This will negatively affect food production. The provincial ANC is shooting itself in the foot to gain political points ahead of the elections. It has never expressed itself on the land given to Block and whether this should be returned – they might as well then give all the farms to people in prison.”

He went on to state that if land was expropriated it should be done as part of redress and should be equitable, fair and transparent. “Will the farms that are expropriated be given to the Top 5 (officials in the ANC) – what assurance do we have that this won’t happen, as it has happened previously.

“Issuing lists like these is inciting fear and causing unnecessary tensions in the Province – and fear can drive people to do stupid things.

“Farmers whose land has been identified will go to court we do not need this right now.

“The idea of land restitution is noble, but in practice many of these farms will be reduced to nothing in just a few years. Ask any farmer and he will tell you that farming is hard work.”

A Northern Cape farmer, whose farm is on the list, said yesterday that he was totally surprised.

“I didn’t even know that my farm was up for expropriation,” the farmer, who wished to remain anonymous, said. “Somebody could have at least informed us. We don’t know now what to do. I suppose you could say our only saving grace is that the amendments to Section 25 of the Constitution has been delayed. It at least gives us a little time to suss out what we can do to save our farms.”

Meanwhile, Agri NC general manager Henning Myburgh said yesterday that expropriation could only be done by the state.

“Our investigation has shown that none of the state departments in the Northern Cape have issued any list of farms to be expropriated,” said Myburgh.

“Furthermore, expropriation must be done in terms of the Constitution and applicable legislation. The process of amending the Constitution is still a long way off and at this stage any talk of expropriation is purely speculation. Agri SA is involved in securing the interests of the agricultural sector in that process. It is our aim to ensure an orderly and sustainable extension of commercial agriculture to all sectors of the South African society.”

Agri NC president Nicol Jansen said in a webcast on social media that is was important that farmers knew their rights.

“This list makes it difficult for the agricultural sector to maintain the goodwill in respect of land reform that currently exists in the Northern Cape,” said Jansen.

He added that it was ironic that most of the farms on the list had already implemented successful empowerment projects that had improved the circumstances of many.

Jansen assured local farmers that Agri NC would support its members if anything further came of the list, “so that our members’ constitutional rights in respect of their properties are exercised”.

He urged farmers not to “fight this war” in the media or on social media and to wait until there is official confirmation of the situation.

“We are aware of the list and we will give it our attention, as well as obtain legal advice if necessary.”

Jansen reiterated, however, that the Northern Cape provincial government departments were not aware of the list. “It is not an official document and it has not been issued by government.”

https://www.dfa.co.za/news/farm-list-absolutely-stupid-19901829