GPSA Weekly Views

Came across an e-book on the disaster which government calls 'land transformation'. Although published a couple of years ago, it makes for frightening reading and the end is not in sight.

South Africa could learn about speedy land reform from its neighbour Zimbabwe, Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said on Wednesday.

"We've got lessons to learn from Zimbabwe -- how to do it fast," she told an African distance-education conference in Pretoria.

There is a general complaint in South Africa that land reform is too slow, too structured and "that we need a bit of an oomph".

"So, we might want some skills exchange between us and Zimbabwe, to get some of their colleagues to help us here with that," the deputy president told delegates with a smile -- to muted laughter.

Hundreds of commercial farmers were evicted from their land since 2000, often forcibly, in Zimbabwe's much-criticised land-reform programme.

Earlier this month, a conference on South Africa's land-reform programme -- designed to correct apartheid-era wrongs -- concluded that the willing-buyer-willing-seller principle is no longer appropriate. At the time, Mlambo-Ngcuka said the principle is slowing down land reform.

The Democratic Alliance questioned the wisdom of Mlambo-Ngcuka's pronouncement at the education conference. "Surely Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is joking," it said in a statement. "The lesson for our country lies in not following the same route which Zimbabwe has taken. Zimbabwe offers a textbook example of ways in which land reform should not be carried out."

The South African government wants all land-restitution claims settled within the next three years, and 30% of agricultural land in the hands of the previously disadvantaged by 2014.

By December 2005, 3% of commercial farm land had been redistributed. -- Sapa

Source: Daily Mail & Guardian

Herewith links to selected chapters of the book :

THE GREAT SOUTH AFRICAN LAND SCANDAL
Dr. Philip Du Toit

Published by Legacy Publications
Private Bag X 122
Centurion 0046
SOUTH AFRICA

Chapter 1 - The Letsitele Valley, Limpopo Province
Chapter 3 - Vryheid, KwaZulu/Natal
Chapter 6 - The Dunns of KwaZulu/Natal
Chapter 9 - The Limpopo Province

Food for thought. Despite the 'negative' start to 2007 (another year for self-enrichment) I wish all my readers a good & fruitful year.

Weekly View
	2 January 2007
Came across an e-book on the disaster which government calls 'land transformation'. Although published a couple of years ago, it makes for frightening reading and the end is not in sight. South Africa could learn about speedy land reform from its neighbour Zimbabwe, Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said on Wednesday. "We've got lessons to learn from Zimbabwe -- how to do it fast," she told an African distance-education conference in Pretoria. There is a general complaint in South Africa that land reform is too slow, too structured and "that we need a bit of an oomph". "So, we might want some skills exchange between us and Zimbabwe, to get some of their colleagues to help us here with that," the deputy president told delegates with a smile -- to muted laughter. Hundreds of commercial farmers were evicted from their land since 2000, often forcibly, in Zimbabwe's much-criticised land-reform programme. Earlier this month, a conference on South Africa's land-reform programme -- designed to correct apartheid-era wrongs -- concluded that the willing-buyer-willing-seller principle is no longer appropriate. At the time, Mlambo-Ngcuka said the principle is slowing down land reform. The Democratic Alliance questioned the wisdom of Mlambo-Ngcuka's pronouncement at the education conference. "Surely Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is joking," it said in a statement. "The lesson for our country lies in not following the same route which Zimbabwe has taken. Zimbabwe offers a textbook example of ways in which land reform should not be carried out." The South African government wants all land-restitution claims settled within the next three years, and 30% of agricultural land in the hands of the previously disadvantaged by 2014. By December 2005, 3% of commercial farm land had been redistributed. -- Sapa Source: Daily Mail & Guardian Herewith links to selected chapters of the book : THE GREAT SOUTH AFRICAN LAND SCANDAL Dr. Philip Du Toit Published by Legacy Publications Private Bag X 122 Centurion 0046 SOUTH AFRICA Chapter 1 - The Letsitele Valley, Limpopo Province Chapter 3 - Vryheid, KwaZulu/Natal Chapter 6 - The Dunns of KwaZulu/Natal Chapter 9 - The Limpopo Province Food for thought. Despite the 'negative' start to 2007 (another year for self-enrichment) I wish all my readers a good & fruitful year.	Online Shop Past Views Current Joke Past jokes Gallery Links Current Exchange Rate Daily News Headlines Articles
If anyone out there would like to contribute to these pages, please contact myself or submit your story for publishing. Use the "contact" link at the top of these pages.