Agri SA Media Release - Minister aims to institute unworkable policy

Agri SA
Mediaverklaring / Media Release 

MINISTER AIMS TO INSTITUTE UNWORKABLE POLICY

During the Land Summit held from 4 to 6 September 2014 in Boksburg, the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, Mr Gugile Nkwinti tried to pass a controversial policy in terms of which a limitation could be placed on the size of farms that people may own, said Agri SA president Johannes Möller.

“The minister was unable to secure buy-in on this Green Paper proposal during the relevant consultation process, which lasted almost two years, yet tried to pass it as a resolution towards the end of the summit in Boksburg. As the summit was coming to an end the minister tabled a proposal that had not been discussed by the commissions, which had at the time also considered various aspects of tenure reform, namely that small farmers may not own more than 4 000 hectares; medium-sized farmers may own between 4 000 and 8 000 hectares and large-scale farmers a maximum of 12 000 hectares. He then demanded that those present should there and then adopt a position on the proposal. There was clearly no consensus around the figures that the minister had placed on the table,” said Möller.

“Agri SA has throughout the Green Paper process maintained the position that land ceilings were unworkable, as illustrated by international experience. Furthermore, various experts were consulted in this regard during the Green Paper process and the general view was that implementation of such ceilings would be very expensive, difficult to administer, that different types of farming have totally different requirements in terms of land size and that it could jeopardise food security. During the summit the minister said farmers had been given sufficient time to come up with economic models for different regions and commodities on which the ceilings could be based, but that they had failed to do so. Agri SA, for very good reasons, is opposed in principle to such ceilings and was, therefore, unable to participate in this exercise,” said Möller.

“It is time for the government to stop devising expensive, unworkable plans and spending millions of rands on summits where no real consultation takes place,” said Möller. Agri SA will also not accept allegations that they had failed to put forward economic arguments to support the minister’s political views in time. The minister should realise that aspects such as land ceilings can hardly be supported by any economic calculations.

Möller said Agri SA was in fact attending internally to land reform models that could work and would also deal with these at the organisation’s congress in October. “However, in the national interest there is far more at stake than merely political fickleness and we will, therefore, give the matter the attention it deserves, also within the time it deserves,” said Möller.

Issued by Agri SA, Directorate: Corporate Liaison

Enquiries
Mr Johannes Möller, President Agri SA, 082 647 8481
Ms Annelize Crosby, Advisor Legal and Land Affairs, Parliamentary Liaison, Agri SA, 082 388 0017