Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Land is a precious resource that forms the basis of our security, pride and history. The
ownership and use of land have always played an important role in the shaping of all political,
economic and social processes in South Africa. Therefore it is a very sensitive issue for all
South Africans. Colonialism and the Apartheid policy deprived the majority of South
Africans of the right to own land or took away their land, and this contributed to the large
degree of prevailing poverty, especially of the rural black population.
One of the primary purposes of the first democratic government, elected in 1994, was to
introduce land reform that would return 30% of all agricultural land to the previously
deprived population.
The purpose of this study is to research the government policy, and prevailing theories, on
land reform, and the impact of this policy on the socio-economic development of the Cradock
and Somerset East districts of the Eastern Cape. The current power behind the new land
policy is the land reform programme, which consists of redistribution, security of tenure and
land restitution. Land reform means, among other things, the redistribution of land with the
main objectives of achieving socio-economic development and reducing poverty.
From the research it transpired that land reform is a complex issue with widely divergent
opinions. The Government itself changed its policy since 1994, and the World Bank has also
change its policy. Of the burning issues are: must land reform mainly deal with land
restitution, or rather with socio-economic development; is commercial farming on large farms
better for land restitution, or small scale farming on small farms; is the capitalistic viewpoint
driven by the market mechanism the best, or a more socialistic approach; is communal
ownership of land better than individual ownership; should only applicants with farming
experience be considered or also people with no experience? All these issues have
proponents, mostly it seams as if compromises between these viewpoints would yield the best
results.
From the case studies, as well as the literature and interviews, it transpired that support
services for emerging farmers are of prime importance. Mentors that assist emerging farmers
could make a positive contribution. Existing commercial farmers should also be involved as
advisers. It also seemed as if it was very difficult for large groups of unrelated beneficiaries to
successfully work on one farm. The success of the policy does not only depend on the mere access to land, as the quality of
life and potential job opportunities can only be increased by the provision of support services,
infrastructure and other development programmes, which result from land reform. This
requires a cooperative partnership between national, provincial and local governments.
The socio-economic analysis revealed that there are large scale poverty and unemployment in
the districts of Cradock and Somerset East. Although the rural population is on the decline,
there still are large rural black and coloured populations that may benefit from land
restitution. However, because of the dry climate and poor soil quality, it is unlikely that many
of these households could be helped by means of land restitution to escape from poverty.
Opinions of experts on the degree to which land reform contributed towards socio-economic
development, are divided. It seems that projects where upcoming farmers are assisted by a
mentor, or where a small number of beneficiaries, related to each other, are farming together,
have a greater chance of succeeding.
However, for the land reform programme to meet its objectives, it is important to formulate an
adequate land policy to ensure peace, reconciliation and national stability. Without these
aspects, economic growth and secure livelihoods cannot be ensured. Effective land
programmes can contribute directly to increased production and the reduction of poverty, but
only if implemented correctly. Land forms the corner stone of development, but cannot be
used or maintained as the only way to decrease or eliminate poverty. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Grond is 'n kosbare hulpbron wat nie net die basis van welvaart vorm nie, maar ook van
sekuriteit, trots en geskiedenis. Die eienaarskap en gebruik van grond het nog altyd 'n
belangrike rol gespeel in die politieke, ekonomiese en sosiale prosesse van 'n land. Gevolglik
is dit ook 'n sensitiewe kwessie vir alle Suid-Afrikaners. Kolonisasie en die Apartheidsbeleid
het die meerderheid Suid-Afrikaners ontneem van die reg om grond te besit of hul grond
afgeneem, wat bygedra het tot die grootskaalse armoede van veral die landelike swart
bevolking.
Een van die belangrike doeleindes van die eerste demokratiese regering wat in 1994 verkies
is, was om grondhervorming in te stel wat 30% van alle landbougrond weer aan die voorheen
benadeelde sektor van die bevolking sou teruggee.
Die doel van die werkstuk is om die beleid van die regering, en die teorieë, oor
grondhervorming na te gaan en om die potensiële impak van dié beleid op sosio-ekonomiese
ontwikkeling van die Cradock en Somerset-Oos distrikte van die Oos-Kaap te bepaal. Die
dryfkrag agter die nuwe grondbeleid is die grondhervormingsprogram, wat bestaan uit
herverdeling, sekerheid van eienaarskap en restitusie van grond. Grondhervorming behels
onder andere die herverspreiding van grond met die hoofdoel om sosio-ekonomiese
ontwikkeling te bevorder en armoede te verminder.
Uit die navorsing het dit geblyk dat grondhervorming 'n ingewikkelde kwessie is waaroor
verskeie sterk uiteenlopend standpunte gehuldig word. Selfs die Regering het sy beleid
verander sedert 1994, en die Wêreldbank het ook sy beleid verander. Van die brandpunte is:
moet grondhervorming hoofsaaklik gaan oor die herverdeling van grond of oor sosioekonomiese
opheffing; is kommersiële boerdery op groot plase die beste vir herverdeling of
kleinskaal boerdery op klein plase; is die kapitalistiese siening met die markmeganisme as
dryfveer die beste, of moet 'n meer sosialistiese benadering gevolg word; is kommunale besit
van grond die beste of individuele eienaarskap; moet slegs aansoekers met ondervinding in
landbou van grond voorsien word, of ook mense met geen ondervinding nie? Al dié
standpunte het voor- en teenstanders, en heelwaarskynlik sal 'n middeweg meestal die beste
resultate lewer. Uit die drie gevallestudies, sowel as die literatuur en onderhoude, het dit geblyk dat
ondersteuningsdienste vir opkomende boere van kardinale belang is. Mentors, wat hulp aan
opkomende boere verleen en hulle help met besigheidsplanne kan 'n positiewe bydrae maak.
Hierin behoort bestaande kommersiële boere ook 'n rol speel. Dit het ook geblyk dat dit
moeilik is vir groot groepe onverwante begunstigdes om suksesvol op een plaas saam te werk.
Die sukses van hierdie elemente van grondhervorming is afhanklik van meer as blote toegang
tot grond - die kwaliteit van lewe en moontlikheid van werksgeleenthede kan slegs verbeter
word deur die lewering van ondersteuningsdienste, infrastruktuur en ander
ontwikkelingsprogramme, wat voortspruit uit grondhervorming. Dit vereis 'n opbouende
vennootskap tussen nasionale-, provinsiale- en plaaslike regerings.
Volgens die sosio-ekonomiese analises blyk dit dat daar groot armoede en werkloosheid in
die Somerset-Oos en Cradock distrikte is. Alhoewel die landelike bevolking daal, is daar nog
steeds 'n groot swart en bruin landelike bevolking wat kan baat by grondhervorming. Weens
die droë klimaat en swak grondgehalte van dié gebied is dit onwaarskynlik dat baie van dié
gesinne met grond herverdeling gehelp sal kan word om uit armoede te ontsnap.
Daar was verdeelde opinie by betrokkenes oor die mate waartoe grondhervorming reeds
bygedra het tot die bevordering van sosio-ekonomiese ontwikkeling. Dit blyk dat projekte
waar 'n mentor opkomende boere bystaan, of waar daar 'n klein aantal lede is wat verwant is
aan mekaar, 'n groter kans op sukses het.
Effektiewe grondprogramme kan moontlik direk bydra tot verhoging in produksie en die
uitwissing van armoede - mits dit korrek toegepas word. Grond vorm die hoeksteen tot
ontwikkeling, maar kan nie die enigste manier wees om armoede te probeer verlig nie.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50041 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Nieuwoudt, Deborah |
| Contributors | Claassen, P. E., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 105 pages |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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