An historical overview and evaluation of the sustainability of the Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development (LRAD) Programme in South Africa

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Land policy in South Africa prior to 1994 was used as a political instrument to discriminate against theblack population by preventing them from accessing land. The National Party government promulgatedvarious laws that allowed the government to forcefully removed millions of black people from theiroriginal land to the so-called reserves. These removals resulted in extensive landlessness,homelessness, poverty, unemployment and economic disempowerment of blacks in South Africa.Prior to 1994 the explosive issue of land reform was the subject of debates between the differentpolitical parties, with diverse viewpoints on what should be done. Following much debate, when theAfrican National Congress (ANC)-led government took over in 1994, a market approach of 'willingbuyer,willing-seller (WBWS) was adopted, with as goal the redistribution of 30% of farmland toblacks by 2015. A land reform programme was instituted, consisting of three programmes, namely landrestitution, land redistribution and land tenure reform. The ANC government originally regarded landreform as a key programme to address unequal patterns of resource distribution, but there seems to be abroad consensus that land reform has changed its originally objectives. By December 2004, all aspectsof the land reform programme had only transferred an area equal to 4, 3 % of commercial agriculturalland to blacks. At the National Land Summit of July 2005, the majority of delegates agreed that theWBWS principle in the land redistribution process is no longer appropriate and called for alternativepolicies, such as expropriation to fast track the process of redistribution in South Africa.This integrated assignment focuses on the Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development (LRAD)sub-programme of the land redistribution programme in South Africa. It gives an overview of thehistory of land issues and land reform in South Africa. The study then evaluates the sustainability ofthe LRAD programme and investigates the many problems and challenges that still face theprogramme. The research is mainly literature based, and combines primary and secondary sources. Thestudy concluded that the LRAD programme will not meet its well-known objective of transferring 30%of farmland to blacks by 2015, unless radical steps are taken to change the policy. A section onproposed policy changes is included. It is felt that if sustainable development principles and resolutionsthat were taken on the recent Land Summit are taken seriously and implemented successfully, theLRAD programme may achieve its target by 2015.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University