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White SA farmers in sale deadline(South Africa)
BBC News ^ | 13 Aug 2006 | Robert Walker

Posted on 08/13/2006 7:52:24 PM PDT by Marius3188

The South African government has told white farmers that they risk losing their farms if they fail to agree a selling price within six months.

The Agriculture and Land Affairs Minister, Lulu Xingwana, said the deadline was necessary to speed up the transfer of farms to black people who were forcibly removed from their land under apartheid.

The transfers are part of a government programme to get 30% of farmland in black hands by 2014.

Land reform is one of the most emotive and politically charged issues in South Africa.

And returning land seized from black farmers during apartheid was of the key promises made by the African National Congress when it came to power in 1994.

Slow progress

More than 10 years on, only 4% of land has been transferred and the government is under fire for going too slowly.

The problem, ministers say, is that it is taking too long to negotiate with white farmers over the price of land.

Now, for the first time, the government has set a time limit on talks - it will negotiate for six months and no more. After that, land could be expropriated.

The challenge for the ruling ANC is to keep the promises it has made while avoiding the violence that has surrounded land reform in neighbouring Zimbabwe - where it helped bring about the collapse of the country's highly profitable agricultural sector.

Difficult task

But it is a hugely complex process.

One problem is sorting out competing claims over the same piece of land.

Families removed from farms generations ago often do not have documents. Family trees have to be constructed to see who is entitled to a share.

And if black farmers are allocated land, but not given enough capital to develop it, then agricultural production could fall.

But whatever the short-term costs, advocates of land reform say the longer-term risks of political instability are much higher if the issue is not tackled faster.

Already, grievances over land have led to violence in some areas.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Miscellaneous; Unclassified
KEYWORDS: afica; africa; farm; farmers; landreform; southafrica; white
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1 posted on 08/13/2006 7:52:24 PM PDT by Marius3188
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To: Marius3188
How many black Africans will die from this? Zimbabwe taught them nothing.
2 posted on 08/13/2006 7:54:48 PM PDT by kinoxi
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To: Marius3188

South Africa following the Mozambique model. Stand by for urgent requests to aid the starving in SA.


3 posted on 08/13/2006 7:54:54 PM PDT by saganite (Billions and billions and billions-------and that's just the NASA budget!)
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To: Marius3188

Following the lead of Mugabe.


4 posted on 08/13/2006 7:55:10 PM PDT by fso301
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To: Marius3188

Any white farmers who stuck around should have seen the handwriting on the wall long ago....Another African nation
that will end up on the edge of starvation.


5 posted on 08/13/2006 7:55:42 PM PDT by larrysh
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To: saganite

Oops. I meant Zimbabwe.


6 posted on 08/13/2006 7:56:14 PM PDT by saganite (Billions and billions and billions-------and that's just the NASA budget!)
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To: Marius3188

Following the great example set by Zimbabwe, I see. Insanity can be defined as doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result.


7 posted on 08/13/2006 7:56:19 PM PDT by hsalaw
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To: Marius3188

Yes, this worked so well in Zimbabwe. Some days it seems as if there is no hope for the human race.


8 posted on 08/13/2006 7:57:07 PM PDT by speedy
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To: hsalaw
I just hope we don't have to put up with an endless series of letters from some fool who stayed in SA when they should have cleared out years ago.

L

9 posted on 08/13/2006 7:58:16 PM PDT by Lurker (I support Israel without reservation. Hizbollah must be destroyed to the last man.)
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To: Marius3188

"After that, land could be expropriated."

Just a little whiff of the ANC in this comment. Mandela's true colors are shining through.


10 posted on 08/13/2006 7:59:14 PM PDT by RegulatorCountry
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To: Marius3188
"The challenge for the ruling ANC is to keep the promises it has made while avoiding the violence that has surrounded land reform in neighbouring Zimbabwe....."

Oh is that what it was in Zimbabwe? Land Reform? Try violent confiscation.

Journalism today is an absolute joke.
11 posted on 08/13/2006 8:00:05 PM PDT by headstamp (Nothing lasts forever, Unless it does.)
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To: kinoxi

I hope that our otherwise compassionate and giving community will think twice, thrice, four times before giving any charitable contributions to help the future starving children of South Africa.

Giving money to starving children in Africa is like giving money to homeless crack addicts in San Francisco.

It only exacerbates the problem.


12 posted on 08/13/2006 8:00:14 PM PDT by Philistone (Turning lead into gold...)
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To: Marius3188

Namibia next.


13 posted on 08/13/2006 8:00:19 PM PDT by 1066AD
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To: Marius3188

Looks like the commies are in full force in S. Africa... the FIFA (soccer) should think twice about having their showcase event in S.A. in 2010.


14 posted on 08/13/2006 8:04:48 PM PDT by Trajan88 (www.bullittclub.com)
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To: Marius3188

MASS DARWIN AWARD IN THE MAKING...!


15 posted on 08/13/2006 8:05:15 PM PDT by gaijin
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To: Philistone
I've read numerous articles in the past few years describing rotten "Aid from the US" being thrown away due to the possibility it may contain (GM)genetically modified wheat. This was forced by the EU/USA democrat/african dictator alliance.The food was thrown away because it had USA on it. I have no idea how many died.
16 posted on 08/13/2006 8:06:50 PM PDT by kinoxi
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To: Marius3188
Proudly brought to you from the land of government pronouncements like, "HIV doesn't cause AIDS..!" !
17 posted on 08/13/2006 8:07:37 PM PDT by gaijin
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To: fso301

Isn't this situation vastly different than Zimbabwe? I mean, in this case, from the article at least, it sounds like the property was wrongly taken in the first place. Secondly, the current farmers are being paid off decently. I don't recall Mugabe doing that...


18 posted on 08/13/2006 8:10:47 PM PDT by dsmtoday
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To: Marius3188

The stab in the back this country gave to South Africa in the 1980s should never be forgotten. Congress imposed, over a Reagan veto, sanctions on behalf of a communist party. (ANC) South Africa is now on the path of Zimbabwe and they will no doubt have similar 'achievements' in the future. Another example of democracy being given to those not ready for it.


19 posted on 08/13/2006 8:10:56 PM PDT by Timedrifter
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To: Marius3188
At least they are trying to negociate and give compensation. If the land was taken from people, then it should be returned to the family of those people. If the land was unowned, then the current farmers should remain. All the farmers should be given fair compensation for their farms.
20 posted on 08/13/2006 8:17:11 PM PDT by Jedi Master Pikachu ( http://www.answersingenesis.org)
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