meeting
5 December 2007
The Executive Council (EXCO) of Limpopo held its routine and last meeting of
the year on the 5th of December 2007. The meeting amongst others received a
report from the Acting Director-General of the national Department of Land
Affairs on the land restitution, redistribution and tenure reform in Limpopo
province. The report indicated that out of 5 814 claims that have been lodged,
2 891 have been settled and the outstanding will be settled by no later than
2014. "Besides the challenges regarding the claimed communal land on account of
conflicts between traditional leaders, we are on course in as far as the target
of settling 30% of the affected land by 2014", said the Acting Director-General
of Land Affairs.
The EXCO further proposed to the national Department of Land Affairs the
need to consider delegating more powers to the provincial structures such as
the regional Land Claims Commissioner in order to cut on bureaucracy and help
expedite the land restitution process. The land redistribution and related
agrarian reform programmes are some of those functions/powers that could be
delegated to the provincial Department of Agriculture, let alone Office of the
Premier.
Given the challenges facing communities regarding this process, the EXCO
also resolved to convene meetings/workshops with the stakeholders early next
year. In these workshops the national Department of Land Affairs will be
invited to educate communities about land restitution, land use management and
such related agricultural development programmes. Some of the issues the
workshops will focus on include capacity building for communities whose claims
have been settled.
On the ongoing policy debate around the ownership of land by foreigners, the
Executive Council recommended that foreigners should not own land, but instead
be allowed to have access to land through such systems as lease agreements.
EXCO believes this will go a long way towards ensuring that South Africans
become rightful owners of their land.
On the other hand, the EXCO received a report on the disposal of the LIMDEV
assets to the private sector and interested individuals in order to ensure that
historically marginalized sectors of the society are brought into the
mainstream economic activity. These assets include shopping centres, farms and
mines in which LIMDEV had 100% share holding stake. The process is well
underway and many black people and companies have begun to reap the fruits of
this Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment initiative of the provincial
government.
On the expenditure trends as at 31st October 2007, the treasury report
indicates a marked improvement in terms of spending in that the departments
have spent 54.80% or R13.8 billion of the total provincial budget compared to
54.07% or R12.3 billion for the corresponding period of the previous year. This
is once again attributed to proper planning and focused spending on service
delivery, particularly in the development of infrastructure and delivery of
other essential services.
The Executive Council welcomed all the people who will be visiting Limpopo
during this festive season. These include all tourists who have come to see the
scenic beauty of our province, the guests, media and delegates to the 52nd
national conference of the African National Congress.
"The festive season is upon us and we will obviously be travelling short and
long distances to join our beloved ones. We therefore call on all road users to
obey traffic regulations, drivers to look out for pedestrians, drivers not to
drink and drive, and more importantly, pedestrians to be visible at all times.
We wish all the people of Limpopo a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year", said
the Executive Council.
Contact: Mogale Nchabeleng, Spokesperson: Limpopo Provincial
Government
Cell: 072 632 8984
Issued by: Limpopo Provincial Government
5 December 2007
Source: Limpopo Provincial Government (http://www.limpopo.gov.za/)
