Cabinet finds some land issues ‘not feasible to implement’

While almost all recommendations made by the Presidential Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture (PAPLRA) were accepted by government, Cabinet found some not feasible to implement, according to Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza.

The panel chaired by Dr Vuyokazi Mahlati presented a set of recommendations to Cabinet in July. The external experts have been appraising government’s land reform process, with a focus on policy, legislation, frameworks and institutional arrangements.

Didiza said many departments “noted that some of the issues raised or reflected upon by the advisory panel, were matters already being addressed”.

She explained: “In large measure, the recommendations were seen as the affirmation of the work already being done – giving alternatives on how some of these processes can be undertaken.

“Other recommendations were made on policy and legislative gaps, such as the policy on land tenure that will address communal land and traditional land.

“Others spoke to interventions required to address matters, including coordination among spheres of government.

“There were some recommendations that were not accepted, not because the issues raised were not important, but such recommendations required further engagement of a policy nature.”

On agreed recommendations, said Didiza, “relevant departments would develop action plans”.

Among the advisory panel recommendations not endorsed by Cabinet were the:

• Establishment of the national land rights protector for managing high-level conflict.
• Creation of the land reform fund.
• Land tax inquiry.
• Establishment of a land agrarian reform agency.
• Transference of responsibility for the coordination of rural development from the department of rural development and land reform to the presidency.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.