Mabuza opens Landbou Weekblad, Agri-SA Land Summit

Deputy President David Mabuza opened the Landbou Weekblad/Agri SA Summit on land solution at Bela-Bela in Limpopo on Thursday.

Mabuza told the attending farmers land expropriation without compensation will start with land owned by government. He added that government will act harshly towards land grabs and land invasions.

Mabuza discouraged organisations, without naming them, that use the land discussions to divide South Africans by distorting the land reform measures in the international community and spreading falsehoods that white farmers are facing and onslaught from government.

He said the ANC admits that land reform is not taking place at the desired pace and added that if farmers and government don’t work together for land reform, it may cause instability in South Africa.

Mabuza said state-owned land and land belonging to State Owned Enterprises will be at the top of the list to be expropriated.

ANC has undertaken not to allow land grabs and to treat property rights as a key priority in agrarian development.

This follows mounting concern over the ANC’s intention to allow land expropriation without compensation.

Agri SA says other policy commitments made by the ANC leaders were – that the protection of productive agricultural land will remain a priority – optimising the use of fallow land in deep rural areas.

Government is finalising an audit of state land for transfer to black farmers – and initiating production on 4 000 farms currently in government possession to unlock commercial value and create farming opportunities.