Agri SA
Persverklaring / Media Release
Posbus/ PO Box 1508 Pretoria 0001, Tel +27+12 300 9500, Faks/ Fax +27+12 320 0557
29 November 2007
Agri SA verwelkom realistiese benadering oor grond
Die waarnemende Direkteur-Generaal van Grondsake het in ‘n onderhoud met Farmers Weekly erken dat die restitusie teikendatum van 2008 sowel as die herverdelings-teikendatum van 2014 ambisieus is en het gesê dat grondhervorming deur kwaliteit eerder as teikens gedryf moet word. Agri SA verwelkom hierdie benadering, het Dr Theo de Jager, Voorsitter van Agri SA se Grondsake Komitee gesê. Hoewel Agri SA die noodsaak van vinnige vordering met grondhervorming terdeë besef, was die organisasie
se standpunt nog altyd dat grondhervorming ekomonies volhoubaar moet wees en dat die hulpbron en produksie nie in die proses nadelig geraak moet word nie.
Dr De Jager het gesê dat die spoedige afhandeling van die restitusie-proses egter ‘n hoë prioriteit van die regering behoort te bly, aangesien die onsekerheid wat deur onafgehandelde eise geskep word baie nadelig inwerk op ontwikkeling van en investering in die landbousektor, veral in die noordelike provinsies. In gevalle waar eise
blyk ongeldig te wees of waar skikkings bereik word, behoort die plase ontlys te word.
Volgens Dr de Jager het die Harvard groep van ekonome onlangs weer die belang en bydrae van die landbousektor vir volgehoue ekonomiese groei uitgewys. ‘Ons het suksesverhale nodig en ons glo dat die resep vir sukses vennootskappe tussen die staat en die privaatsektor is. Ons sal graag saamwerk met die nuwe Direkteur-Generaal om sy ideaal van ‘n geintegreerde benadering , waar die produktiewe gebruik van grond, werkskepping en ware bemagtiging die uitgangspunt is, te help verwesenlik.’
Agri SA glo steeds dat daar voldoende grond in die mark beskikbaar is, om huidige grondhervormingsteikens te haal. Met meer as 5% van alle landbou-eiendomme wat per jaar in die oop mark van eienaarskap verwissel, behoort Suid-Afrika sonder veel ontwrigting aan produksie en beleggersvertroue in die landbou voor 2014 reeds 30% landbougrond aan swart eienaars te kan lewer, veral as dit in samewerking met die privaatsektor aangepak word. Dit word egter krities belangrik dat administratiewe en burokratiese bottelnekke wat prosesse vertraag uitgeskakel moet word en dat nuwe boere behoorlik ondersteun word om hulle in staat te stel om op ‘n volhoubare basis suksesvol te kan boer, aldus Dr de Jager.
Uitgereik deur Direktoraat: Korporatiewe Skakeling
Navrae: Dr Theo de Jager, Voorsitter van Agri SA se Grondsake Komitee, 082 332 2110
Annelize Crosby, Agri SA Parlementêre verteenwoordiger, Adviseur:Regs- & Grondsake,
082 388 0017
Agri SA welcomes realistic approach toland
The acting Director-General of Land Affairs, in an interview withFarmer’s Weekly,admitted that therestitution target date of 2008 as well as the redistribution target date of2014 was ambitious and said that land reform should be driven by quality ratherthan targets.Agri SA welcomed thisapproach, said Dr Theo de Jager, Chairman of Agri SA’s Land AffairsCommittee.Although Agri SA isfully aware of the need for rapid progress with land reform, the organisation’sview has always been that land reform should be economically viable and that theresource and production should not be adversely affected in theprocess.
Dr De Jager said, however, that timeous completion of the restitutionprocess should remain a top priority for the government as the uncertaintycreated by unsettled land claims has a very negative impact on the developmentof and investment in the agricultural sector, especially in the Northernprovinces.In cases where claimsappear to be invalid or where settlements are reached, the farms should bedelisted.
According to Dr de Jager, the Harvard group of economists recently againemphasised the importance and contribution of the agricultural sector towardssustained economic growth.”We needsuccess stories and we believe that the recipe for success is a partnershipbetween the state and the private sector.We would like to work with the new Director-General to help achieve hisideal of an integrated approach where productive use of land, job creation andtrue empowerment are the points of departure.”
Agri SA remains of the opinion that enough land is available on themarket to achieve the current land reform targets.With more than 5% of all agriculturalproperties changing ownership on the open market each year, South Africa shouldbe able to transfer 30% of farm land to black owners well before 2014 withouttoo much disruption in terms of production and investor’s confidence, especiallyif this can be tackled together with the private sector. It is critical thatadministrative and bureaucratic bottlenecks that delay processes be eliminatedand that new farmers be supported adequately to enable them to farm successfullyon a sustainable basis, said Dr de Jager.
Issued by the Directorate: CorporateLiaison
Enquiries:DrTheo de Jager, Chairman of Agri SA’s Land Affairs Committee, 082 3322110
AnnelizeCrosby, Agri SAParliamentaryrepresentative, Adviser: Legal&Land Affairs,082 388 0017