Johannesburg - Deputy President Paul Mashatile will on Tuesday in his capacity as chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Land Reform and Agriculture, pay an oversight visit to the Ehlanzeni District Municipality in Mpumalanga.
According to the Presidency, the role of the committee is to oversee the implementation of the government’s land reform programme and interventions, as well as build on the successes and lessons learned to date in the implementation of the social transformation agenda, aimed at creating jobs, economic growth, and investment facilitation in the province and the country.
"During the visit, the deputy president will receive a progress report on the local response to the government's land reform and agricultural support initiatives in the Ehlanzeni District Municipality.“
“The visit will provide a platform to inform policy-making by identifying key enablers to improve the performance of the government’s service delivery agenda," added the Presidency.
Meanwhile, the DA’s Alan Fuchs says the roll-out of public hearings on the Expropriation Bill in Gauteng is proceeding at a snail’s pace and with a distinct lack of energy.
"The last meeting held was with traditional leaders, but because it was so poorly attended, there has been a request to repeat this engagement. According to the programme, that will probably take place towards the end of August."
"Because other provinces are so far behind in terms of their public engagements, there is no pressure on Gauteng to speed up the process. At this time, there is no indication as to the time frame for the process to be concluded before it goes back to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP)," said Fuchs.
In a statement, the EFF said that they acknowledged the current public hearings on the Preservation and Development of Agricultural Land Bill.
The party said it rejected any unjust and undemocratic preservation of agricultural land that aimed to criminalise landlessness and land occupation.
"The presence of a law aimed at preserving land solely for agricultural use raises questions regarding its relevance, particularly in light of the pressing issue of land scarcity faced by those living in unsanitary informal settlements," said the party.
The EFF said that existing uncontrolled and often unregulated urban migration necessitated a deliberate and comprehensive approach by municipalities to identify, allocate, and acquire land for the purpose of meeting the growing demand for human settlements and housing.
"The preservation, development, and sustainable utilisation of agricultural land holds immense significance in safeguarding food security. However, this pursuit must be undertaken with a comprehensive approach that acknowledges and balances the diverse needs of society without unjustly denying the landless masses their rightful access to liveable and expansive land," said the party.
The EFF further highlighted that it supported a policy that emphasised a balanced distribution and use of all types of land. This distribution and use should be adequately spread between land identified for residential, industrial, and commercial purposes, as well as for the religious and spiritual needs and purposes of the people.
"The EFF fervently urges the citizens of South Africa to actively participate in these PDAL hearings and vehemently oppose the passing of this bill. It is imperative that we steadfastly uphold our commitment to land occupation and the pursuit of expropriation without compensation," said the party.
The Star