Question No. 668
Mrs A Steyn (Democratic Alliance) to ask the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform:
(1) Whether funds are available to purchase land for (a) restitution and (b) redistribution in the 2009/10 financial year; if so, (i) what amount is still available and (ii) how many contracts still need to be processed in the 2009/10 current financial year;
(2) Whether his department will keep on signing contracts with farmers to buy land for (a) restitution and (b) redistribution if the budget is depleted; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so,
(3) Whether the farmers will be informed of the timeframe for payment; if not, why not; if so, what will the timeframe be?
Reply:
Restitution and redistribution
1. (a) No.
(b) Yes.
(i) Nil for restitution
Province:
Eastern Cape: R164,161,028
Free State: R202,381,368
Gauteng: R78,591,614
KwaZulu-Natal: R163,401,558
Limpopo: R11,084,361
Mpumalanga: R258,403,658
Northern Cape:R119,938,300
North West: R230,608,653
Western Cape: R137,634,391
Total: R1,366,204,931
(ii) 205 land purchase agreements currently need to be processed.
(ii) 241 projects.
2. (a) No. Although negotiations will continue, no contracts will be signed until the additional budget is approved.
(b) No. The department will focus on finalising existing commitments in the current financial year.
3. Yes, where sale agreements have been entered into. Timeframes will be communicated once consultation is complete and funding becomes available.
Yes. Timeframes will differ from one transaction to another depending on the stage in the project cycle.
Issued by: Department of Rural Development and Land Reform
7 August 2009
