Comments

You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name

Your e-mail (optional)

Website (optional)

	My Original Nic Pic-a-Nic Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Foto

Submit your comments on this article

Africa: Subsaharan

Land reform: SA should 'learn from Zimbabwe'

2005-08-11

South Africa could learn about speedy land reform from its neighbour Zimbabwe, Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said on Wednesday. "We've got lessons to learn from Zimbabwe -- how to do it fast," she told an African distance-education conference in Pretoria.

There is a general complaint in South Africa that land reform is too slow, too structured and "that we need a bit of an oomph". "So, we might want some skills exchange between us and Zimbabwe, to get some of their colleagues to help us here with that," the deputy president told delegates with a smile -- to muted laughter.

"Ummm, Mbela, must we laugh?"
"Yes, Mcecum, else he'll have your whole family killed."

Earlier this month, a conference on South Africa's land-reform programme -- designed to correct apartheid-era wrongs -- concluded that the willing-buyer-willing-seller principle is no longer appropriate. It resolved that a new mechanism be found. At the time, Mlambo-Ngcuka said the principle is slowing down land reform.

The Democratic Alliance questioned the wisdom of Mlambo-Ngcuka's pronouncement at the education conference. "Surely Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is joking," it said in a statement.

Well they were laughing.

"The lesson for our country lies in not following the same route which Zimbabwe has taken. Zimbabwe offers a textbook example of ways in which land reform should not be carried out."

The blame for the slow pace of South Africa's land-reform programme rests with the government, the party said. "The legal framework is in place and there are enough landowners and farmers who want to be part of this process. The government is trying to turn landowners into villains instead of recognising that they are victims of government slackness and failure to vote the funds."

Mlambo-Ngcuka should act in a more "balanced and responsible manner" when making public statements, the DA said.

The South African government wants all land-restitution claims settled within the next three years, and 30% of agricultural land in the hands of the previously disadvantaged by 2014. By December last year, 3% of commercial farm land had been redistributed.

Posted by:anonymous5089

#8 I'm not joking.

And stop calling me Shirley.

Posted by: Leslie Nielsen 2005-08-11 13:37

#7 I completely agree that "We've got lessons to learn from Zimbabwe," although I suspect that the lessons I've learned are appreciably different than the ones Miss Mlambo-Ngucka has taken away.

Posted by: WhiteCollarRedneck 2005-08-11 12:17

#6 "Surely Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is joking," it said in a statement.

Surely.

Posted by: Secret Master 2005-08-11 12:14

#5 Don't forget to throw in the whitey for that plantin shit. Bob make a big mistake not doin that. I got lots of time to come down to SA and advise if ya want. Not like much happenin on my farm.

Posted by: Farmin B. Hard 2005-08-11 11:38

#4 Think there will be a new influx of African-Americans in the near future?

Posted by: AlanC 2005-08-11 11:21

#3 Some of the best people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing are from SA. Such a shame, but not much of a suprise.

Posted by: JerseyMike 2005-08-11 10:23

#2 South Africa could learn about speedy land reform from its neighbour Zimbabwe, Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said on Wednesday.

Yeah, but not in the way any rational person would think.

"We've got lessons to learn from Zimbabwe -- how to do it fast," she told an African distance-education conference in Pretoria.

...and really screw things up.

But go ahead, if you want to emulate failure, that's entirely up to you.

Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-08-11 10:09

#1 SA is going down the crapper.

Posted by: Spot 2005-08-11 10:08

00:00