Land First?

The issue of land is quite a contentious one - throughout the world, people find their identity in the land they live on and in as well as the language they speak.

If offers a sense of belonging not inherent in us but derived from something tangible. 

As the great speech from Thabo Mbeki states: I am an African, I derive my being from…. We all derive our sense of identity from things outside of us. Teaching my first son about our clan, clan name and totems that accompany it, give rise to his identity. Where our clan hails from eSheshegu, a small village outside eDutywa the Eastern Cape.

Now the question of land - I have had the great pleasure of traversing the Cape Provinces, this being the Northern, Western and Eastern Capes. What a beautiful country we live in. Massive tracks of land belonging to white farmers as well as the South African government throughout the areas I have visited. 

Being in the agricultural industry I have come to understand the value of land. A value I sometimes wonder Isuzu der stood or appreciated by proponents of “give land back” statements.

I often question the intentions of groups calling for land. Is the desire for land in its essence or for land already developed to cash in on. Furthermore, is the requirement for agricultural land, industrial land, commercial land, residential land or ALL LAND.

And if we get the land - what is the plan then?

In my travels I have witnessed how farms given to communities, so called emerging farmers and groups have either been run to the ground and lie fallow or the recipients have sold the land back to the white farmer who had it before.

I have also come across incredible farmers who have grown the gift they received from government and developed successful farming ventures. These great farmers are few and far between.

Together with this group are aspiring farmers getting a footing in the market - all working hard to better their situation. Trying to be competitive, finding niches and growing stronger daily. These are the heroes of land redistribution.

For those who want land to farm, it is always a difficult thing, government may sponsor the land, but you require equal amount of funding as the value of the land to start a commercial venture and farm.

Many recipients end up with a dead asset they cannot do anything with. Receipt of land is also skewed, struggle credentials go a long way.

Redressing the injustices of the past is important and I fully support that - however the manner in which we do so will lay foundation for peace and prosperity for our shred futures. Disenfranchisement is not a right or ticket to inflict harm to others, as history has shown, once we go in that route, the next grouping that feels disenfranchised will do as the group before it.

To my knowledge the biggest owner of land is firstly the Department of Public Works then followed by the World Wild Fund (WWF) of South Africa and after that it is provincial and municipal governments.

This land should be considered first before land is taken off owners who are generating income from and contributing to the GDP of ur country.

Land is required and I firmly believe land should be returned, what is equally crucial is how it returned and who gets it. Under force and violence, will breed a culture of land grabs and war. And those who get it must have the desire to be economically active with the land and farm in an industrious scale.