Systemic failures stall SA’s land reform progress

Many argue that bureaucratic red tape, corruption, limited resources, poor planning, and a lack of political will have hindered numerous land reform beneficiaries from transforming their newly acquired assets into sustainable livelihoods or a buffer against worsening poverty.

According to Peter Setou, chief executive of the Vumelana Advisory Fund, since 1994, South Africa’s government has pursued an ambitious land reform agenda aimed at redressing historical injustices and correcting racially skewed patterns of land ownership through a three-pronged strategy of restitution, redistribution and tenure reform.

“While there have been pockets of success in South Africa’s land reform journey, the reality is that the programme holds far greater potential if implemented effectively.

“A rich and increasing body of research has found that the land reform programme has immense potential to elevate many impoverished communities out of the clutches of poverty, revitalise largely dormant rural economies and stimulate entrepreneurship,” he said.

Impediments to land reform

Setou referred to a detailed study titled “An analysis of livelihoods of land and agrarian reform beneficiaries: Towards integrated and comprehensive post-settlement support programmes, by Dr Lubabalo Mbekeni of the University of the Western Cape, which examined why some beneficiary communities have not managed to use their land productively, after lodging a successful claim.

“Focusing his research on the Ebenhaeser community on the West Coast, Mbekeni’s research found that while government programmes provided significant assets, these interventions were often undermined by fragmented and uncoordinated approaches by government departments, both at and between national, provincial and local levels,” Setou said.

Mbekeni argues: “This silo-based approach was found to lead to duplication and waste of resources, hindering the overall effectiveness of the support programmes.”

Setou said these impediments to a successful land reform programme drew the attention of the World Bank. The institution found that, in many cases, land transferred through the land reform programme has had little effect on improving beneficiaries’ livelihoods. This limited impact is mainly attributed to inappropriate project design, insufficient post-settlement support, and a lack of working capital – factors that have left much of the land underused.

“There is no evidence to suggest that land reform has led to improvements in agricultural efficiency, income, employment, or economic growth,” he said.

Setou added that the government has also conceded their shortcomings in successfully driving and implementing the land reform programme over the years.

Govt systems need to change

“Minister of land reform and rural development, Mzwanele Nyhontso, said although government had made progress, inequality in land ownership remained stark.

“While his department has cited funding shortages as the barrier to accelerating the land reform programme and ensuring that claimant communities are adequately supported, this argument has been found wanting, given systematic failures such as reliance on manual systems, poor coordination between the various departments, the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights, CPAs and municipalities, inadequate post-settlement support, and lack of visible consequence management for ongoing underperformance,” Setou said.

He warned that throwing money at the challenges that beset the land reform programme will not dissipate them.

“For as long as these systemic challenges persist, no amount of funding can influence the direction of the land reform programme or change the fortunes of the struggling beneficiaries who continue to wallow in squalor and deprivation.”

Setou said at Vumelela Fund, they firmly believe that a sustained focus on implementation, resource mobilisation, post-settlement support, and actively promoting partnerships between beneficiaries and the private sector. Timely policy adjustment will put the land reform on a good footing, unlock the potential of the land assets for the economic benefit of the communities and unleash the potential and entrepreneurial spirit of the beneficiary communities.

“Much more will be required for the land reform programme to contribute significantly to economic growth and to the redistribution of wealth and opportunities for much of the population, especially in rural areas,” he said.