No whites government policy on leasing state farmland under scrutiny

The Department of Land Reform and Rural Development’s rule that excludes all white citizens of South Africa is under scrutiny.

The department has published numerous ‘Applications to Lease State Land’, along with the eligibility criteria.

The first criterion eliminates all white citizens of South Africa, independent of their farming experience.

Applicants must be Africans, Indians, and Coloureds. The term “African” in this context includes persons from the First Nations of South Africa.

Lex Libertas executive director Ernst Roets has launched a report regarding the issue, titled ‘Race-Based Exclusion in South African State Land Policy’.

“This report exposes how the South African government uses race as an eligibility criterion in the allocation of state-owned agricultural land,” he said.

“White citizens are excluded from consideration, regardless of their farming experience, available resources or ability to farm productively.”

The report also highlights shortcomings in existing land reform programmes, including underutilised agricultural land and declining productivity.

Roets said that Lex Libertas has already arranged to meet with the Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development, Mzwanele Nyhontso.

He said that he will use this meeting to present the report and discuss the need for meaningful policy reform.

“We believe that access to agricultural land should be determined by fair and transparent criteria,” he said.

“There must be an emphasis on productive capacity, secure property rights and the interests of the communities affected.”

He added that the underlying problem is more fundamental and linked to South Africa’s centralised political system.

“This system allows the national government to impose policies on communities with different circumstances,” he said.

“We therefore advocate the decentralisation of political power and greater self-government.”

“This will enable communities to exercise meaningful authority over the resources and decisions that affect their livelihoods.”

Lex Libertas called for the removal of racial eligibility requirements from state land allocation policies and stronger protection of property rights.

Example of application to lease state land