Deputy President Paul Mashatile says there’s a need for professionalising communal property associations (CPAs) to ensure productive and commercially viable land management in land restitution projects.
The deputy minister said the government is investing in training, mentorship, and partnership with experienced farmers or agribusinesses to support CPAs and resolve land disputes.
He was responding to oral questions by members of parliament (MPs) in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) in Cape Town on Tuesday afternoon.
Mashatile urges professional CPAs
ANC MP Tidimalo Legwase had asked Mashatile about land restitution projects aimed at frustrating land reform and returning ancestral land to communities.
According to the deputy president, since 1996, the government has spent over R58 billion on land restitution, acquiring 4 million hectares of farmland for dispossessed communities.
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He highlighted the challenges faced by these farms, including vandalised infrastructure and poor management.
“Through post-settlement programmes, the government aims to provide support to all beneficiaries of land reform who choose land restoration over financial compensation, which I think is very important because often people just take money and go,” Mashatile said.
The deputy president mentioned the implementation of the new Communal Property Association Amendment Act of 2024 to strengthen CPAs’ governance and functionality.
Post-settlement support
He said the aim is to restore productivity on restitution farms, support rural economies, and ensure job creation through multi-sectoral partnerships and institutional support.
Legwase also asked if the government has follow-up mechanisms for comprehensive post-settlement support for beneficiaries, including soft skills for business management and market access.
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Mashatile confirmed the importance of post-settlement support and mentioned the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme to provide training, funding, and technical support to emerging farmers.
He highlighted the need for blended finance schemes and collaboration between the ministry of agriculture and the ministry of rural development to ensure the success of land restitution projects.
Another MP criticised the government’s approach to land restitution projects, citing a lack of land, training, skills, and development as key issues.
Examples of successful partnerships
In response, Mashatile shared examples of successful partnerships between black and white farmers, such as a project in Bethlehem, Free State, which supplies apples to Woolworths and other markets.
“There are farmers who are succeeding, given access to finance expertise, training, and all the issues you mentioned. But we need to continue our support,” he said.
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ANC MP advocate Inkosi Mwelo Nonkonyana asked the deputy president about systematic issues in the policing and justice system.
Mashatile outlined measures by the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) and the National Security Council, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
He said JCPS and the council have implemented an integrated, intelligence-driven approach to addressing systemic weaknesses.
National Anti-Gang Strategy
The deputy minister said the South African Police Service (Saps) is implementing the National Anti-Gang Strategy in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and Gauteng.
“This strategy aims to dismantle criminal networks through methods like intelligence-led operation and proactive policing, but also community engagement,” Mashatile said.
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“The rollout includes expanding the scope of the anti-gang unit to cover crimes such as drug trafficking, shootings, and murders in these provinces.”
Gang-related crime is a key element of the Saps’ Operation Shanela, which focuses on immediate stabilisation of violent crime through weekly intelligence-led high-density operations. The strategy involves collaboration with various law enforcement agencies, key departments, and civil society partners.
Mashatile said provinces are directed to develop and implement annual intervention plans to eliminate immediate threats posed by crime and gangs in high-crime areas.
Accelerating court cases
In terms of the justice system, the deputy president emphasised the importance of accelerating the processing of court cases and strengthening criminal justice delivery.
He said the department of justice and constitutional development has established case flow management committees in all courts. National case backlog committees comprise the judiciary, the National Prosecuting Authority, Legal Aid South Africa, and Saps.
“The government will continue to implement a combination of integrated strategy, operational, prosecutorial, and judicial measures to close system gaps that have long enabled gang leaders and other perpetrators to evade arrest and accountability,” Mashatile said.
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