General

Allegations about agricultural land absurd

Wild allegations with regard to land ownership in South Africa are thrown around, without any prove of the current situation, according to mr Dries Joubert, Chairperson of TAU SA North. He said that on provincial and even national level, politicians are very quick to make the wild allegation that 80% of all agricultural land belongs to white commercial farmers. As far as Limpopo is concerned, the following questions should be asked: Where is the most fertile agricultural land? Is it possible that it can be the old Vhenda and Transkei homelands? Which area in South Africa has the highest rainfall? Is it possible that Transkei qualifies? After some investigation and, in the absence of any facts from the government, the following information came to light: The facts about Limpopo are as follow: Total surface of Limpopo is 12 580 325 Ha. Of this Nature Reserves amounts to 3 026 846 (24%), the old homelands amounts to 3 544 476 (28%), Cities and towns take up 355 780 Ha (2.8%) and Mining 23 136 Ha (0.18%). Current commercial agriculture amounts to 5 630 087 Ha (44,75%). This does not include land sales to black owners, or land transferred under the multitude of government schemes such as LRAD, restitution, etc. Very few so called authorities on the land ownership issue, make any reference to land sales to black people after 1994. Joubert said the government, as the state authority, should at least have solid prove of information before wild allegations are thrown around. He said TAU SA North regard these allegation as clever propaganda. Without a sound land audit, such remarks will be challenged and exposed for the blatant lie it is. He called upon white commercial farmers not to fall in this propaganda trap. The government should rather provide ownership for farmers in the former homelands and assist them to develop, and should stop victimizing white commercial farmers as the enemy.