As part of the ongoing engagement process on the Green Paper for Land Reform, the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR), Mr Gugile Nkwinti, met the National Reference Group (NAREG) on Tuesday 29 November 2011 in Pretoria to review progress made by the different thematic task teams dealing with different aspects of the Green Paper and discuss substantive issues relating to proposals on policy, strategy and legislation.
NAREG is an inclusive structure that represents varied interest groups ranging from beneficiaries to organised agriculture, from civil society to academics and experts on land and agrarian issue.
The engagement on the Green Paper on Land Reform, which seeks to break from the past without significantly disrupting agricultural production and food security, has been extended to the end of December 2011. These engagements were due to conclude at the end of November 2011. The extension, which was gazetted on Friday (25th November 2011), provides interested and affected stakeholders with an additional one month to submit their comments. Minister Nkwinti told the meeting that with the extension, he expected more interested stakeholders to come forward and contribute in the shaping of the Green Paper
NAREG delegation at the meeting was made up of two beneficiaries per province, Farm Equity Schemes representatives, National Farmers Union, delegates from the land and agri-business organisations (African Farmers Association, Agri-SA, Transvaal Agricultural Union and Agri-Business Chamber), the National House of Traditional Leaders; Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa and academics.The meeting discussed substantive issues relating to proposals on policy, strategy and legislation as well as timeliness leading to the finalisation of the Green Paper.
Minister Nkwinti emphasised that the meeting of the stakeholders with the department was an engagement process where robust discussions must take place on equal basis with the common view of coming up with a product that is inclusive of every stakeholder’s input.
He said that some people criticized the Green Paper as a “thin 12-page document” failing to realise that the Green Paper is a framework, reflecting the past the country must move away from, the vision for land reform in South Africa, the principles to underpin the envisaged land reform and the institutions to sustain that vision.
Stakeholders were therefore expected to interrogate the Green Paper and add flesh to the document so that this can be an inclusive process.
The Green Paper is underpinned by the following three key principles:
- De-racialisation of the rural economy for shared and sustained growth;
- Democratic and equitable land allocation and use across gender, race and class; and
- Strict production discipline for guaranteed national food security
Members of the public as well as interest groups are invited to participate in the consultation processes and contribute towards developing an effective and responsive land tenure system in South Africa.A copy of the green paper is available on the Department’s website (www.ruraldevelopment.gov.za) and public comments can be e-mailed to landreformgreenpaper@ruraldevelopment.gov.za or faxed to 086 692 8882
Inquiries:
Eddie Mohoebi
Tel: 012- 312 9648
Cell: 082 550 1445
