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20 July 2007

The Limpopo MEC for Agriculture, Mrs Dikeledi Magadzi, launched the land reform desk at Elias Motsoaledi Municipality in Sekhukhune District on 17 July 2007 at Rossenekal. The aim of this desk is to deal with land and agrarian issues. This structure is the brainchild of Limpopo Provincial Land Reform Forum established last year with the purpose of bringing together important role-players in matters relating to land and agrarian reform.

Launching the Land Reform Desk officially, the MEC said collective efforts were needed in handling the land reform issues which is why her department ensured "black and white farmer organisations and Land Claims Commission in the province" have a structure like this. She said that people should understand that land reform is not about land claims only. MEC Magadzi said that the government wants to see the (productive) land it buys for the previously disadvantaged communities used profitably. It is for this reason that strategic partners are always sought in order to assist those for whom the land was bought, indicated the MEC.

She said her department considered local municipalities as the focus areas of service delivery. The provincial Land Reform Forum had to be taken down to the local communities, hence the need for Municipal Land Reform Desk. The MEC said Elias Motsoaledi Municipality is most fortunate since the first Municipal Land Reform desk in the province was launched there.

She advised the municipality to take advantage of its strengths in livestock farming, maize production, citrus and grape production, thus position agriculture within its Local Economic Development Plan. "The active participation of all role-players is critical in ensuring the survival of the sector unlike a situation where some key role-players act like bystanders" said MEC Magadzi.

She said that the government was committed in ensuring farmers progressed by offering them the necessary assistance. "In the previous year, my department was called in to assist black farmers in this area who were at the verge of being liquidated due to their various levels of indebtedness to the financial institutions," indicated the MEC. She thanked Mpumalanga Agricultural Development Co-operative and the Land Bank for suspending liquidation which some black farmers faced after Limpopo Department of Agriculture (LDA) had intervened.

However, she said those assisted throughout the province should make concerted efforts to grow so that the government could assist their fellow needy farmers who are awaiting the government's hand. The Elias Motsoaledi Municipal Mayor, Councillor Lionel Selloane appealed to white commercial farmers to assist black farmers through skills transfer, but he also said black farmers shouldn't keep on emerging. Speaking on behalf of farmers in that area, Deputy Chairperson of Matabane co-operative, Mr Puane Mabune appreciated the assistance that the Government offers to farmers and cited the local farmers rescue by government as the MEC had mentioned earlier on.

He said LDA assisted the local farmers with the purchase of sunflower seed, fertilisers, and diesel with the hope that the harvest would help the insolvent farmers in their troubled waters. "Unfortunately, drought struck us and we only harvested 44,8 tons from the 300 hectares on which we grew sunflower," said the farmer.

Mabune said black farmers owning productive land but not utilising it should either use it or allow others to farm on it. He said if government provided irrigation infrastructure, farmers would do better. A white commercial farmer, Mr James Smith, received a standing ovation when Mabune indicated that he and some white farmers assisted black farmers.

For more information contact:
Segoati Mahlangu
Cell: 082 801 1736

Thembi Makhuvele
Cell: 082 803 5648

Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Limpopo Provincial Government
20 July 2007
Source: Limpopo Provincial Government (http://www.limpopo.gov.za)