South African Agriculture Minister Thoko Didiza’s comments that administrative errors had occurred during Zimbabwe’s land reform process has been described as “jeopardising” land reform in South Africa.
The Democratic Alliance’s Andries Botha, himself a Free State farmer, was responding to comments made by Didiza after touring Zimbabwe with AgriSA — the mainly white farmers’ group — and the National African Farmers’ Union.
“Didiza’s statement that the violent chaos accompanying the unconstitutional land grab in Zimbabwe is merely challenged by some administrative shortcomings defies belief, and cannot inspire the necessary confidence in South Africa’s own policy of land reform,” said Botha.
“Indeed her statement, together with (Labour) Minister (Membathisi) Mdladlana’s that the Zimbabwe programme should be a model for South Africa, lends credence to the growing belief that the ANC is colluding with the Zanu-PF destruction of agriculture in Zimbabwe. This must have a detrimental effect on the commitment of South African farmers to land reform,” said Botha.
Botha said her “excellent policy of establishing commercial black farmers is stalled because the necessary managerial skills to implement it can only be provided by existing commercial farmers”.
“Organised agriculture has repeatedly demonstrated willingness to support the programme, but the bureaucratic approach of the Department of Agriculture
has failed dismally to harness these skills.”
“Didiza demonstrates a total lack of concern for the plight of hundred of thousands of dispersed agricultural workers in Zimbabwe, the losses of thousands of farmers — including hundreds of South African investors — and the collapse of food production and the consequent ongoing famine.”
Didiza said after a two day visit to Zimbabwe that some commercial farmers whose land was seized for redistribution were left without any land, despite the government’s policy that they should be allowed to keep one farm. “There are some instances where a person who had two farms was left with none at all,” Didiza said. But she noted that the government and the commercial farmers “have
started discussions to correct the administrative irregularities.” – I-Net Bridge