Land panel report not supported by all

President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed a ten-member panel in September 2018, to advise him on the way forward with regard to land reform and expropriation without compensation (EWC). The official panel report is scheduled to be handed to the president on 24 April 2019, but has subsequently been leaked to the media. The report however does not have the support of the full panel.

 

Agri SA President, Dan Kriek and at least one other member refused to sign the report due to several issues, EWC being the most contentious.

 

“We have released an alternative report setting out perspectives on land reform based on proven agricultural practice and sustainable economic growth,” Kriek said.

 

This alternative report clearly states which proposals and recommendations in the panel’s report, are supported and which are rejected.

 

There is also an attempt to clarify important gaps in the panel report and on the proposals that were not included that warrant consideration. Five core segments of the minority report were submitted to the panel but were only dealt with superficially.

 

“The president should be able to weigh up alternatives and decide what South Africa needs” Kriek said. “The minority report is progressive in nature and focus on practical agricultural common-sense plans.”

 

It contains workable proposals on the financing of land reform and focuses on land reform in rural areas, fast-tracking land reform as well as farmer settlement.

 

“The minority report contains viable solutions to build our nation as one, sovereign, democratic state, founded on the values of human dignity, equality and freedom.”

 

Kriek informed president Ramaphosa’s office on Monday 15 April 2019 of the intention to submit a minority report and cited the reasons for this. The minority report has been sent to the chairperson of the advisory panel.