White farmers can be assured that their views on land reform will be taken into account, the Department of Agriculture and Land Affairs said on Friday.
”We can assure them. They must be frank, fearless and open about their views,” said Director General of Agriculture Masiphula Mbongwa.
He and Director General of Land Affairs Glen Thomas were briefing reporters at the land summit being held in Johannesburg.
Mbongwa said that by inviting organisations representing white farmers to the summit, the department showed that their concerns will be taken seriously.
He said input from all stakeholders is important because it will minimise future errors.
The five-day summit, which ends on Sunday, has heard many people asking that the current willing-buyer-willing-principle be scrapped, as it is slowing land reform.
Others have complained about the current market system, saying it favours farmers.
The first day of the meeting was dominated by the willing-buyer-willing-seller principle with Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka saying it is slowing down land reform.
She told delegates the principle will have to be revisited as the state is the only buyer, and farmers often ask exorbitant prices for their land.
Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs Thoko Didiza also raised concerns about the concept, saying the state should be allowed to influence how the markets work.
The government wants all land-restitution claims settled within the next three years, and 30% of agricultural land to be delivered to the previously disadvantaged by 2014. By December last year, only 3% of commercial farm land had been redistributed.
Most of the opposition political parties and bodies representing white farmers at the summit are against scrapping the principle.
AgriSA director Hans van der Merwe said on Wednesday it is reasonable for land owners to expect a market-related price for land they have to part with, and this is best determined by the willing-buyer-willing-seller principle.
Asked what the government will be doing about the principle, Thomas said there is a general consensus that the concept has to be revisited.
He said it is too early for the government to say how it will deal with this, but it will give suggestions to the various commissions at the conference.
”This summit must pronounce on it,” he said.
He agreed that the conference will not be able to deal with all concerns, and described land reform as a terrain of struggle.
However, concerns will be dealt with in time as land reform is a continuous process.
The remaining three days of the summit will be spent finding ways to overcome the challenges of speeding up the reform process.
Discussions on Friday looked at urban and rural development in land redistribution, how to balance the rights of the dispossessed and economic development during land restitution, and the creation of a thriving economy through land and agrarian reform.
Talks also concentrated on the security of tenure in communal areas and commercial farms, and land-use management and spatial planning.
On Saturday, the various commissions will make their recommendations and they will be debated.
The last day of the conference on Sunday will see the discussion and presentation of a consolidated report. Didiza will make the closing remarks.
Friday, Saturday and part of Sunday are closed to the media.
Thomas told reporters the commissions will have to come up with a recommended plan of action to fast-track land reform.
”The big task for the commissions on each of these issues is how we go forward … not to discuss the merits and demerits [of issues],” he said.
Other issues raised on the first two days of the summit included foreign land ownership in the country, expropriation of land, allowing new land claims and the security of tenure.
The summit has seen a few demonstrations by members of the Landless Peoples Movement and the Alliance of Land and Agrarian Reform Movements.
Both organisations have called for the scrapping of the willing-buyer-willing-seller principle, an end to foreign land ownership, and the expropriation of land.
Asked to comment on a protest that interrupted the summit’s programme when a World Bank delegate was temporarily stopped from speaking, George said organisers were taken by surprise.
”People have the right to protest, but it is important the manner in which the protest is conducted. It must not threaten lives … or disrupt certain processes like yesterday,” he said.
”We were taken by surprise. [At an earlier meeting] with social movements it was agreed they can protest but do it without disruptions.” — Sapa