Only two land claims still have to settled in Gauteng – the Krokodilspruit farm and the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve – says Nansi Mayathula-Lehoza, MEC for agriculture and rural development in the province.
The land will soon be transferred to the beneficiaries after Tina Joemat-Pettersson, minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, approved the transfers.
“The total size of farming land in Gauteng amounted to 774,285 ha in 1994. The total hectares that have been transferred to beneficiaries to date, is 35,599 ha – a total of 4,6% of Gauteng’s farming land,” she says.
Support to upcoming farmers
According to Mayathula-Lehoza her department launched a support project which provides support to upcoming farmers after the land was transferred to them. In this way the department assists the farmers to make their land productive and to get financial support.
The department has already provided support to the beneficiaries of 36 land reform projects in the first quarter of 2010. Altogether 54 farms have been visited and study group sessions have already been held with 13 farmers.
The department has also compiled 14 business plans for farmers to assist them to obtain finance.
Anette Steyn, The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) spokesperson for land affairs, says the party received information earlier this year about the good progress with land reform in the province. “We’ll soon meet with the national department and ask for the latest statistics on the amount of already-transferred land and so on. – Landbouweekblad
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