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By Mayibongwe Maqhina 
10h ago
Cape Town – Vice President David Mabuza says the government’s land rights investigation process to determine the status of land occupation has been announced for disposition to emerging farmers.
Mabuza said that there are many ways to skin a cat.
“We decided to simultaneously advertise and take on this investigation. The purpose is not to sanction people. The purpose is to dispose of this land properly and put this land on the books,” he said.
“We must not persecute people who make a living on land because our intention is to make sure that our people have land to earn a living.
“Those who are there now using the land must be affirmed without fail. No one should be expelled. If that happens, I would be happy to be the one to intervene,” Mabuza said.
He responded during an oral question in the National Assembly to a question from the EFF head whip, Floyd Shivambu.
Shivambu asked if Mabuza had been informed that some of the land that was advertised for state use to emerging farmers was already occupied and used by communities and some emerging farmers.
He also asked the rationale for carrying out the land investigation as announced by the Minister of Agriculture, Agrarian Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, earlier this month.
Mabuza said that the inter-ministerial agrarian reform committee has been assessed on the state of the land that has been announced to emerging farmers.
“Part of this land is already occupied. Part is used by farmers, local communities, and in some cases the land is illegally occupied.”
He said there would now be records of the farms or land occupied, how it had been produced and what activities were carried out on the state-owned land.
He also said that the investigation would also address the rights of peasants and others, as well as guarantee adequate procedures for the formalization and regularization of those who already occupy the land.
However, Shivambu said that the advertised land is mostly in the former homelands and does not include the Western Cape and Gauteng.
Mabuza agreed that the announced land was primarily in the ancient homelands.
“There are some lands that have been announced to be in old white areas. Most of the land, yes, it is in old lands.”
He said the exercise was to identify land that was in government hands at this stage.
In response to another question, Mabuza said that they would move forward to progressively restore the land to the people and grant them property titles.
“In the near future, very soon, we are going to announce land that was claimed by the people who are in the hands of the government and they agreed to release the land for free,” he said.
When asked if there would be no limits on the amount of land or farms that people could own, Mabuza said there was no such policy other than the development of a donation policy.
He said the policy was published and the cabinet would soon make a decision.
Mabuza spoke of white farmers and mining companies who were willing to donate unused land.
“That attitude of donating land is the right thing to do. It happens with good spirit to build South Africa,” he said.
Political Bureau
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