Posted on 08/20/2005 3:30:15 AM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
South Africa could learn about speedy land reform from its neighbour Zimbabwe, Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said on Wednesday.
"We've got lessons to learn from Zimbabwe -- how to do it fast," she told an African distance-education conference in Pretoria.
There is a general complaint in South Africa that land reform is too slow, too structured and "that we need a bit of an oomph".
"So, we might want some skills exchange between us and Zimbabwe, to get some of their colleagues to help us here with that," the deputy president told delegates with a smile -- to muted laughter.
Hundreds of commercial farmers were evicted from their land since 2000, often forcibly, in Zimbabwe's much-criticised land-reform programme.
Earlier this month, a conference on South Africa's land-reform programme -- designed to correct apartheid-era wrongs -- concluded that the willing-buyer-willing-seller principle is no longer appropriate.
It resolved that a new mechanism be found.
At the time, Mlambo-Ngcuka said the principle is slowing down land reform.
The Democratic Alliance questioned the wisdom of Mlambo-Ngcuka's pronouncement at the education conference.
"Surely Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is joking," it said in a statement.
"The lesson for our country lies in not following the same route which Zimbabwe has taken. Zimbabwe offers a textbook example of ways in which land reform should not be carried out."
The blame for the slow pace of South Africa's land-reform programme rests with the government, the party said.
"The legal framework is in place and there are enough landowners and farmers who want to be part of this process. The government is trying to turn landowners into villains instead of recognising that they are victims of government slackness and failure to vote the funds."
Mlambo-Ngcuka should act in a more "balanced and responsible manner" when making public statements, the DA said.
The South African government wants all land-restitution claims settled within the next three years, and 30% of agricultural land in the hands of the previously disadvantaged by 2014.
By December last year, 3% of commercial farm land had been redistributed. -- Sapa
'Dangerous turning point' in SA land reform - 05 August 2005 - "Speaking last week at the national land summit, Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs Thoko Didiza said the African National Congress inherited one of the worst racially skewed land-redistribution problems in the world, with whites owning 87% and blacks 13% of agricultural land. Undoing this apartheid legacy is a fundamental priority for South Africa, she said." "(Democratic Alliance leader) Leon warned rejection of this principle by many delegates at the summit means land reform in South Africa "has reached a potentially dangerous turning point". The ANC has carefully adhered to the willing-buyer-willing-seller principle "since the interim Constitution was agreed to in 1993". He said its plans to re-examine this principle threatens to "reignite one of the most contentious issues in our society". It could also frighten away foreign investors."
Mbeki warns white farmers to commit to land reform
Communist party calls for land reform
I think their focus should be more on "How do we (SA) continue to feed all our people and still export food for money?"
Answer - Stop with the land reform idea! Do not do anything similar to what Z-land did.
Is this from Scrappleface or The Onion?
Sounds like SA wants to emulate Zimb's population control methods (starvation).
It's the quickest way known to go from a well developed, second tier country to third-world status.
Has the girl noted that Zimbabwe is a failed state?
Most farmland owned by Whites these last 300 years or so was unoccupied and empty when the White settlers moved there. Same for Rhodesia.
Check it out.
"The whites were right to take the land from the blacks becuase they did not make productive use of it."
Castro uses that same line to confiscate dissidents' homes. Anyway, I hear the weather is lovely in New London this time of year.
really?
well put.
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