South Africa’s Land Reform: Minister Highlights Progress and Future Directions at ICARRD+20
During the second International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ICARRD+20) held in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Mzwanele Nyhontso acknowledged South Africa’s journey since 1994, noting both achievements and shortcomings in land reform efforts.
Addressing Global Land Issues
The ICARRD+20 conference serves as a global platform for governments, social movements, and international organizations to tackle pressing issues like land and water grabbing, vulnerability to climate change, and the necessity for redistributive land reform.
South Africa’s Land Reform Framework
In his speech, Minister Nyhontso elaborated on South Africa’s land reform framework, which is structured around three main pillars:
- Restitution
- Redistribution
- Tenure Reform
He noted that while there have been notable successes, such as communities reclaiming their ancestral lands, overall progress in land reform has been slower than anticipated.
Revamping the Redistribution Policy
To expedite transformation, the government is initiating an overhaul of its redistribution policy, starting with the proposed Equitable Access to Land Bill. This legislation aims to streamline land allocation, focusing on supporting the landless, especially those with the potential to be productive commercial farmers.
Minister Nyhontso stressed the importance of inclusivity in land reform, asserting:
“We have a clear policy undertaking that 50 percent of all redistributed land must go to women and 40 percent to youth,”
Empowering Youth and Women in Agriculture
The Minister highlighted a positive trend with an increasing number of young individuals, particularly young women, entering the agricultural sector and emerging as successful entrepreneurs. To bolster this momentum, the government is enhancing post-settlement support to ensure that beneficiaries of land reform can thrive as productive farmers.
Transition from ‘Willing-Buyer, Willing-Seller’
Nyhontso recognized that the previous market-driven “willing-buyer, willing-seller” model fell short in achieving the intended scale and speed of transformation. To address this, the government is implementing new frameworks that serve not only as legislative tools but also as measures for decolonization.
Ensuring Tenure Security and Farmworker Rights
Concerns about illegal evictions of farmworkers and labour tenants were raised by the Minister, who underscored the critical need to secure tenure rights, particularly in communal areas. Improved protections for these groups are essential to promoting stability and justice within the agricultural landscape.
Advocating for Stronger Global Land Governance
On a global scale, Minister Nyhontso called for enhanced governance mechanisms related to land. He emphasized South Africa’s support for the FAO’s Global Land Observatory to monitor land governance and urged the Committee on World Food Security to provide regular updates on the implementation of international declarations that safeguard the rights of peasants and Indigenous peoples.
Nyhontso’s remarks reflected a renewed commitment to drive land reform initiatives domestically while fostering international collaboration aimed at achieving equitable access to land and advancing rural development.
