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In the next two weeks, the government will issue notices for the lease of nearly 900 state farms measuring around 700,000 hectares.
ARCHIVE: Minister of Agriculture, Agrarian Reform and Rural Development Thoko Didiza. Image: EWN
CAPE TOWN – In the next two weeks, the government will issue notices for the lease of nearly 900 state farms measuring around 700,000 hectares.
This was announced on Thursday by the Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, Thoko Didiza, who said that underused or unoccupied state lands would be handed over to the public.
Didiza addressed the media about the process that members of the public must follow to request available state agricultural land as part of the government’s agrarian reform program.
[MEDIA STATEMENT] Minister Didiza announced today the process to be followed by citizens to request available State Agricultural Lands. This is the government’s contribution to the agrarian reform program. @GCISMedia @Sagovnews @GovernmentZA @VukuzenzeleNews pic.twitter.com/UT4b7ZxrEa
– Department of Agriculture, Ref. Lands and Rural Development (@DALRRDgov_ZA) October 1, 2020
The minister said the government would offer a 30-year lease, with a purchase option, to all selected applicants.
This form of leasing imposes certain obligations on the state as owner and beneficiaries.
Didiza said the land would be available for lease in all provinces except the Western Cape and Gauteng.
“The Western Cape does not have state lands that need to be released, however in other land reform programs, when land is available, they will be released.”
Didiza also said that the beneficiaries had an obligation to maintain the infrastructure of the land and its general conservation.
“The beneficiary will have to administer, maintain and keep a record of the assets received from the state.”
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