Hazyview communities still benefit from land restitution programme
Giba Communal Property Association is still running effectively and have plans to support young people in agriculture.
The banana-producing farm of the Giba Communal Property Association (CPA) in Hazyview, which was acquired through the land restitution programme in 2003, is still running effectively to improve the lives of community members adjacent to the farm.
The Giba CPA is part of the Presidential Infrastructure Programme and more than 500 beneficiaries have inherited the highly productive agricultural land that produces bananas, litchis, avocados and macadamias.
The Giba CPA chairperson, Richard Mathebula, said the programme has helped a lot of surrounding villages, such as Majika Trust and Mahushu Trust.
“Many communities have and are still benefiting from the agricultural land through livestock grazing and mostly employment, especially in harvesting seasons. We are thrilled that the Nsikazi community was one of the first to benefit by such an initiative,” Mathebula said.
One of the greatest programmes the association has had, is to create platforms for the local youth to venture into agriculture.
“The programme is called Fortune 40, and young people will learn all about farming, from planting vegetables, growing bananas to managing piggery and chicken farms. The project started just before the Covid-19 pandemic, but we are slowly continuing with the processes.” He said the initiative will be restricted to the children of the Giba CPA’s beneficiaries.
According to Mathebula, one of the association’s stakeholders and partners, called Vumelana, has played a great role in the improvement of the association and the newly established youth programme.
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“There has been a great turnover of production in most of the farms within the association, and we believe that we will be able to attract more stakeholders to join in securing a future in agriculture.”
Mathebula said he has gained more knowledge about agriculture in rural communities as a farmer.
“I wish to pass on my knowledge to new generations so that they do not sit at home without jobs while their parents and grandparents benefited from fertile land that can be worked for great income.”
