Hon Chairperson, hon Minister and Deputy Minister, hon members, ladies and gentlemen ... vandag verteenwoordig my tweede deelname aan die begrotingsdebat van die Departement van Landelike Ontwikkeling en Grondhervorming, 'n duidelike besef dat daar buitengewone geleenthede nodig is om die lig helderder te laat skyn met al die donkerte wat ons in landelike ontwikkeling en grondhervorming ervaar. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[... today my second participation in the budget debate of the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform represents a clear realisation that extraordinary opportunities are needed for a brighter light to shine on all the darkness that we are experiencing in rural development and land reform.]
The Minister has put the failure rate for land reform and recapitalisation at 90%. The targets set for land reform are not achievable, given the money available.
Eise vir befondsing sal heel moontlik verhoog omdat die regering geforseer sal word om meer hulpbronne aan die herkapitalisasie van projekte toe te ken. [The demand for funding will most likely increase since the government will be forced to allocate more resources to the recapitalisation of projects.]
The department invested much more - that is, R1,8 billion - in the recapitalisation of 969 farms in 2010. This amount was for the recapitalisation of failing projects, where close to a quarter of the farms transferred through the land reform programme have shown no production since transfer to the new owners. The number of farms in need of recapitalisation in 2012 was 1 807.
Dis verder kommerwekkend om landwyd te sien hoe min van hierdie plase wat deur grondhervorming of restitusie bekom is, volhoubaar is. Plase l onbenut en bates word gesteel. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Furthermore, it is of great concern to see that, countrywide, very few of these farms obtained through land reform or restitution are sustainable. Farms remain unused and assets are stolen.]
Farming infrastructure does not exist or has fallen apart. New farmers, especially emerging ones, need support. They need knowledge; they need skills. They need the necessary funds to run the farms in a sustainable way. The department has admitted that their current mentor or strategic partner programme is not working. A solution is needed if the situation is going to change. The Comprehensive Rural Development Programme, CRDP, has also been implemented to assist with sustainable land and rural development. The lack of training leads to funds being mismanaged.
In line with the centenary of the 1913 Natives Land Act, and the land restitution process, we repeat our call for government to urgently ensure that people with claims to communally owned land are given security of tenure by the transfer of their deeds. This will assist small farmers who lack the funds to start production.
There is not yet any other policy or legislative framework to deal with the nullifying of the Communal Land Rights Act. The 2011 Green Paper on Land Reform lacks detail, even though the National Development Plan, NDP, has identified insufficient security of tenure for black farmers in communal areas as a major risk to agricultural expansion and the objective of building inclusive rural economies.
The Land Claims Commission received 79 696 claims by 1998. By January 2013, only 77 000 of these claims had been settled. More than 92% of claimants preferred financial compensation over land restoration. The total cost of the restitution programme to date has been R16 billion, of which R10 billion was used for land acquisition and R6 billion was spent on financial compensation.
Die regering kan steeds nie aandui watter en hoeveel eise afgehandel is of nog afgehandel moet word nie, waar die eise gele is, wat die koste daarvan sal wees en hoe ver die stadium van afhandeling is nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[The government is still not in a position to indicate which and how many claims have been settled or still have to be settled, where the claims are located, what the costs would be and at what stage completion of the settlement is.]
President Zuma announced in his 2013 state of the nation address that restitution claims would be reopened; also, that the government is looking at exceptions to the cut-off date to provide the Khoi and San communities to claim land, and where it relates to heritage sites and historical landmarks.
Ek is diep teleurgesteld vandag dat die agb Mandela die podium kom gebruik het om teen die agb Trollip se voorvaders uit te vaar. Ek is jammer om te s sy eie oupa sou vandag skaam gewees het vir sy optrede hier. [Tussenwerpsels.] [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[I am deeply disappointed that the hon Mandela used the podium today to lash out at the hon Trollip's ancestors. I am sorry to say that his own grandfather would have been ashamed of his behaviour here today. [Interjections.] [Applause.]] The National Rural Youth Service Corps, Narysec, programme was launched by President Jacob Zuma in September 2010. [Time expired.]
Mt?ana H F MATLANYANE: Modulasetulo, Bouto ya Tekanyet?o ya lehono e tla mat?at?i a mmalwa fela pele ga mengwaga ye lekgolo ya Molao wa Naga wa 1913. Molao wo o bego o tlo?a bathobaso mo lefaseng la bona. Molao wo o bego o ba gatelela le go ba t?eela diruiwa t?a bona le t?ohle t?eo ba bego ba na le t?ona. Re le ANC re thekga Boutu ya Tekanyet?o ya Kgoro ya Tlhabollo ya Dinagamagae le Kagoleswa ya Naga. (Translation of Sepedi paragraph follows.)
[Ms H F MATLANYANE: Chairperson, we are debating this Budget Vote a few days before the centenary of the Natives Land Act of 1913. This Act took away people's livestock, their land and all their belongings. The ANC supports the Budget Vote for the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform.]
We do that knowing full well that for the rural poor there is light at the end of the tunnel. We also do that knowing fully that despite the challenges that we have, the rural poor are able to wake up and smell a better life. This is something that has never been the case before. It is only through this ANC-led government that our people have hope of a better life. We are not ashamed of our failures because we are always able to acknowledge where we went wrong.
Pele ke t?wela pele, ke kgopela go bolela gore ke kwa bohloko - le ge e le gore ka bomadimabe, mohl Groenewald o t?wet?e ka ntle. Go tsebega kudukudu gore seo a se bolelago gant?i ga se ke se kwagala, ebile ga se gona. O nyaka fela go phethagat?a polelo ya sekgowa yeo e re go: "status quo remains" [boemo bja ditaba ga se bja fetoga]. Nakong ye nt?i o bolela a tlalelane. Ke be ke nyaka go mmot?a ka segagabo ke re ... (Translation of Sepedi paragraph follows.)
[Before I proceed, allow me to indicate that I am hurt - even though hon Groenewald went outside. It is well known that what he said does not exist. He only wants to implement the English saying, "Let the status quo remain". He often displays anger when he speaks. I wanted to tell him in his own language that ...]
Meneer, hou op om so woedend te wees wanneer u hier is. U moet oppas vir u hartkloppings. [Sir, stop being so angry when you are here. You have to be careful of heart palpitations.]
Hon Trollip, I just want to take a minute to say that I was expecting a very vibrant speech, but I was not surprised because it came to mind that since we started this process the opposition had their way of not talking about what the ANC-led government has done. Everybody who stood here talked negatively. But what I want to say is that I expected you to be the type of leader I worked with in the committee. I expected you to show us that you are leaving us and your heart is full of sadness. I was expecting you to tell the truth by saying that it is only through the ANC-led government that, at the end of the day, we have a process where there is a land audit in place. This is the first time; it has never happened before. We are in the process of doing that. We are going to establish the land management commission, which will deal with exactly what you are saying. We are going to have a Land Valuer-General. We are dealing with that. [Interjections.] You can hold on, Madam. It's very interesting because you like claiming where you don't deserve to.
Our former President Nelson Mandela didn't want people to quote him whilst at the same time throwing stones and thorns at the ANC. You were supposed to say exactly what was supposed to be said.
Chairperson I can't say much about my brother, hon Madisha. Unfortunately, he is not even part of the committee anymore. I appreciated him for coming to the committee, but right now he is speaking about not coming to the committee and not participating at committee level. I'm asking myself how, exactly, my brother is. He is my brother and we grew up together in Atteridgeville. I know him as Mothipa; the name Willie is something else.
... O sa le ngwana wa ge?o, ke be ke duma gore o boe. Tsebo ye o bego o e t?welet?a mo, re a e nyaka ka kua komiting, ga e tle.
Taba ya go amogwa lefase e bohloko kudu. Ke t?wa gaMasemola ka matswalo. Ge ke be ke tloga Polokwane bo?ego ke e ya gaMasemola, ke be ke tla ba ka feta gage?o ke sa bone gore ke fihlile. Gonabjale ka lebaka la ANC, dinagamagae ka bont?i di na le mohlagase. Ka lebaka la mmu?o wa go etwa pele ke ANC, badudi ba dinagamagaeng ba na le dipompo t?a meetse. Re a dumela gore re sa na le ditlhohlo, efela re na le dipompo t?a meetse.
Ge dikolo di tswalet?we, ke be ke t?ea bana ba ka ke ba i?a go koko wa bona gaMasemola . Ba be ba tsoga ka mehla ba e ya nokeng, ba ipshina. Ba be ba sa tsebe gore meetse wona ao ba a gago ke wona ao digwagwa di ruthago ka gare ga wona, ke wona ao ka moswane koko wa bona a tla re go ba hlape meno ka wona. Ba ile ba ntelet?a mogala ba lla dikeledi ba re koko wa bona o ba hlapi?a ka meetse ao digwagwa di ruthago ka gare ga wona. Gonabjale bana ba ka ba tseba gore ge ba ile kua gae, go na le meetse, ba bulela pompo bjale ka mang le mang. Ba kgona go nwa meetse a go hlweka. (Translation of Sepedi paragraphs follows.)
[... you are still my brother; I actually wish that you could come back. The very same knowledge that you shared here, you should bring to the committee.
It hurts so much when someone takes away your land. I was born at Ga- Masemola. Sometimes when I walked at night from Polokwane to Ga-Masemola I would walk past my home without being aware that I have arrived. Today, the ANC provides electricity to large parts of the rural areas. It is through the ANC-led government that people in the rural areas have water. We agree that there are still challenges but people have water.
I used to take my children to their grandmother at Ga-Masemola. There they used to wake up in the morning to go and fetch the water, and they enjoyed that. They were not aware that they were using the very same water that the frogs are floating in. Their grandmother told them to use the same water for oral hygiene. They once called me, complaining that their grandmother makes them bath with the same water those frogs are floating in. Today, when my children visit my mother they use and drink clean water from water taps.]
We are not going to be apologetic. Really, we are not going to be apologetic. Our focus is not going to be on what those who are negative say. We are going to focus on ensuring that our rural people get their land back, that they get the services they deserve and that they are able to have better life, like any other person who is alive at present.
Ka ge ke ?et?e ke bolet?e, go na le tshepo ya gore mmu?o wa ANC o tla tli?a dilo t?eo kamoka ga t?ona. Bjale, ge ke e tla mo go t?a National Youth Corps - re a tseba gore baswa ba kua magaeng ga ba na menyetla ya go hwet?a tshedimo?o go t?wa dikuranteng, dithelebi?eneng le t?e dingwe. Ke ka lebaka la kgoro ye, ge go ile gwa lemogwa gore go na le tlhokego ya tlhahlo ya maleba go bana ba dinagamagaeng. Se ke tlhohlo yeo e bego e le gona, efela ka lebaka la National Rural Youth Service Corps, Narysec, ba na le thekgo ya gore ba hwet?e me?omo le tlhahlo gore le bona ba kgone gore ba tsoge ba na le tshepo ya bophelo let?at?ing leo.
Ka lebaka la Narysec, go hlot?we me?omo ye e ka ba go ye 8 000 ya baswa ba dinagamagaeng. Ka nako ye, ge re bolela, ba hwet?a tlhahlo ya maleba yeo ba e nyakago gore ba re ge ba tsoga, le bona ba tsebe gore ba na le maikemi?et?o a bophelo. Lenaneo le le godi?a tlholo ya me?omo go baswa ba kua dinagamagaeng bao ba sa kgonego go hwet?a dipapat?o t?a dikuranta t?a mafelelo a beke ye nngwe le ye nngwe; le go oket?a tsebo le gore ge ba dut?e ba hlahlwa, ba hwet?e setsekana, ba tsebe go reka bupinyana ka mo gae gore le bona ba kgone go ba le t?a go i?a maleng.
Menyetla ya Narysec e tli?it?e me?omo le bokgoni go baswa ba magaeng. Baswa ba ba ?oma ka go tsinkela le go fatolla tshedimo?o ya metse yeo e aparet?wego ke bohloki mo dileteng t?eo di lego gona mo Afrika-Borwa. (Translation of Sepedi paragraphs follows.)
[Like I said, it is promising that the ANC will make all those services available.
When coming to the National Youth Corps, young people in the rural areas do not have access to information from the newspapers, television and other things. This department has noticed that they need proper training. This has always been a challenge, but the National Rural Youth Service Corps, Narysec, gives them training and jobs so that they can wake up and smell a better life.
Narysec has created 8 000 jobs for young people who live in the rural areas. As we speak, they are getting proper training. This programme is enhancing job creation for the rural young people who cannot access job advertisements from newspapers that are published every weekend. It increases their knowledge and also provides them with an income that enables them to buy food while undergoing training.
Narysec has brought job opportunities and skills to the youth in the rural areas. These young people search for information that will lead to the identification of poor households within the regions in South Africa.]
I now come to the challenges that are facing the department. I hope hon members are going to listen, and listen carefully. The following remain challenges which we have engaged the department on, and we feel confident that there will be progress going forward.
These include the tenure reform programme, which will require clear performance indicators and meeting the deadline it has set for itself with regard to the programme of legislation, as set out in the Green Paper on Land Reform. The rural development on tenure reform legislation expressed concern that the strategic plan lacks information as to when the legislation would be completed and introduced in Parliament.
The capacity of the department to deliver on its mandate and achieve its target is hampered by the challenges or weaknesses at organisational level. The department's renewed focus to enhance its capacity through the implementation of a human resource development strategy could improve the situation. Recapitalisation and development support for land reform on farmers and rural communities are the most crucial complement of agrarian transformation, especially if it addresses the needs and aspirations of the intended beneficiaries.
We have poor monitoring of programmes to capitalise and develop the farms. The use of private sector partners, and mentors especially have the potential to undermine the intentions of this programme. Here they are looking at making profit only, not aiming at empowering our people so that, at the end of the day, they are able to farm and produce the food that is needed by the people of South Africa.
The Commission on Restitution of Land Rights will need to provide reliable statistics about the settlements which have been finalised, claims being settled in phases and those outstanding. This does not pose a challenge to restitution, especially in view of the commitment to reopen the lodgement of land claims.
Ke a tseba gore re gata ba bangwe "dicorns" ge re bolela ka mokgwa wo. [I know that this is not good news to some of the people here.]
The matter of the payment of rates and taxes continues to be a source of conflict between the municipalities and the Ingonyama Trust Board, which could potentially affect the financial position of the Ingonyama Trust Board when going to court to challenge the position taken by the municipality. There is the omission of clear objectives and verifiable indicators for the disbursement of funds or 90% of Ingonyama Trust Board income to traditional communities. The department should build capacity for the monitoring and evaluation of land reform projects, especially the recapitalisation and development programmes which seek to fulfil the intention of bringing all land reform under full production.
In conclusion, the essence of rural development is that people are not targets of development but rather the subjects of their own development. It is also imperative that the infrustracture development projects and other development initiatives implemented by this department ensure that communities benefit directly. All the programmes of the department will be guided by the principles of equity, equality and the allocation of resources in a gender responsive manner. Rural development and land reform is ultimately about the realisation of vibrant, equitable and sustainable rural communities and food security for all. This outcome is conceptualised as the vision of the department, whose mandate it is to facilitate implementation of the comprehensive and integrated programme of rural development as well as sustainable land reform
Modulasetulo, mafelelong, go na le bophelo go batho bao ba dulago magaeng. [Chairperson, people in the rural areas are finally living a better life.]
Hon Trollip, we worked with you in the committee - we were colleagues - and as a portfolio committee, we became a family. We never had any problems when dealing with you. We were dealing with a person who was ready to contribute to the wellbeing of the South African people.
You just disappointed us, but we enjoyed your contributions. We enjoyed being with you, but, at the end of the day, we will bid you farewell, wherever you are going, and we are saying ... hamba kahle Faku, hamba kahle, mnumzane. [Farewell Faku, farewell, sir.] ... but remember, the ANC is in government and it will govern. [Applause.]