Latest Land News


AFRA is an independent NGO working on land rights and agrarian reform in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. AFRA's work focuses on black rural people whose rights to land have been undermined, whose tenure is insecure, and who do not have access to sufficient land to fulfill their development aspirations or even their basic needs.


Statement On The National Farm Workers Summit

The Association For Rural Advancement (AFRA) backs the position by the KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural Union (KwaNalu) that various stakeholders have raised concerns about the national Farm Workers Summit process. As an organization we have become wary of the many summits which have been held but there has been poor implementation of the resolutions thereafter.

While we participated in the process leading up to the provincial summit, we were marginalized in the process leading to the national summit. The democratic processes of electing and appointing delegations to the national summit were subverted and the department handpicked delegates. An effective preparatory process for the national summit was completely non existent. Farm workers and farm dwellers went to the national summit having not seen the report or resolutions of their provincial summit.

AFRA believes that the Summit failed to break away from the political grandstanding of previous summits which paid little attention to planning for implementation. Like the previous summits this one also failed to come up with a clear process for liberating farm workers and farm dwellers from poverty, landlessness and exploitation, features which still continue to define conditions on much farmland. The summit managed only to rehash issues that are already known about farm workers and farm dwellers. This is a clear indication that nothing tangibly has been done in the last 16 years to address issues faced by farm workers and farm dwellers.

AFRA agrees with KwaNalu that structures like the Provincial Land and Agrarian Reform Forum (PLARFO) and the Provincial Labour Forum have collapsed due to poor leadership and lack of seriousness by government officials in attending to the tasks and responsibilities of such structures. This is the worrying context within which the resolutions of the national summit have to be implemented. 5 August 2010

See also...

  • KwaNalu backs AgriSA walk-out at farm talks. The Witness 4 August 2010
  • Farmers should surrender 50% ownership to workers - Summit. Politicsweb 3 August 2010
  • A voice for farm workers . Mail & Guardian. 3 August 2010
  • Farmers in clash with government. The Mercury 2 August 2010
  • Semi-slave relationships endure on farms - Vavi. Politicsweb 30 July 2010
  • Farm workers vulnerable - Zuma. Politcswed 30 July 2010
  • Cosatu deplores farm workers' conditions . Business Report 30 July 2010
  • Zuma admits farm workers' conditions are not ideal . Business Report 30 July 2010

The Repeal of the Black Authorities Act – The Ghost lives On

by Thabo Manyathi - AFRA

Will the ANC succeed where the apartheid government failed, to institute different policies for the same population which is governed by the supremacy of the constitution, thereby creating the subjects who are under the thumb of traditional authorities and on the other hand citizens in cities and town who enjoy certain rights under a complete different dispensation. What we have witnessed thus far is the continued consolidation through legislation of the position and powers of traditional leaders and their institutions in both administrative, economic and political aspects of rural life.

Some of the salient features embodied in recent legislations which were part of the apartheid social and political engineering have not been removed. The imposed tribal boundaries and traditional identities which people resisted during apartheid have found their way back but now all that is done in a democratic context. Read more

See also BAA 'undermined dignity of blacks' News24.Com 20 July 2010

The liberation of farm workers requires a radical programme to change power relations in the farms.

by Thabo Manyathi published in Cosatu's Shopsteward Volume 19 No. 3 July 2010

The issues affecting people on farms are not receiving any serious attention from the government and political organizations in our country.

Although people on farms still remain the poorest of the poor in our country today, there are little tangible changes that they have seen since we voted in 1994 April, 27.

They have yet to taste real fear, from want, freedom to express themselves and to organize. People on farms live as families on their own homestead and others on the houses built for them by the farmer or the employer. Their families including children continue to face major problems alongside their parents. Read more

The government’s response to combating food insecurity: are there opportunities for collaboration with civil society?

by Nonhlanzeko Mthembu, Junior Researcher - AFRA

The bill of rights declaration

The chapter on the bill of rights in the constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act 108 of 1996 clearly states that:

1. Everyone has the right to have access to sufficient tood and water.

2. The state must take measurable legislative and other measures, within its available resources, to achieve the progressive realization of each of these rights Read more

The “One home, One garden” strategy. Will it work?

by Nonhlanzeko Mthembu, Junior Researcher- AFRA

Hunger and food parcels

KwaZulu-Natal premier, Dr Zweli Mkhize, in his state of the province address on Mandela Day, said. “The major cause of ill health and death in the developing world is hunger, poverty…” Local statistical backs up his statement: approximately 35% of the population in KwaZulu-Natal is encountering hunger on a daily basis. The premier then announced a rural development initiative, the ‘One home, one garden strategy’ as a response to this shocking reality.

As exciting as the premier’s proposed strategy to fight hunger in the province may seem, it is shocking to read that current programs with the same intention, are failing to deliver as expected. Will the proposed food pack roll out not face similar challenges as these stated by Moyahabo Mabeba and Mhlaba Memela of Abahlali baseMjondolo. Read More


AFRA News No. 65 October 2009

From the editor

It is with great pride that I introduce this edition of AFRA News. AFRA is 30 years old this year and continues to contribute towards rural development. I pay tribute to all those heroes and heroines whose commitment over the years has taken AFRA to where it is today. Read more

Women and Land

Violations of farm women’s land and housing rights continue on farms where they are evicted from their land when their husbands pass on. Many are not aware of the existing land reform programme, and are unable to secure greater protection and faster transformation of rural landownership. Read more

Mrs. Mhlongo

How land policies have affected women on commercial farms

Laws and legislation are essential for achieving and fostering transformation and social and economic justice, especially for those affected by unjust apartheid laws. It is unfortunate therefore that women staying on commercial farms are negatively affected by the Labour Tenant Act of 1996 and the Extension of Security of Tenure Act of 1997 (ironically enacted to protect them), and have suffered immense human rights violations and gender discrimination. Read more

Celebrating 30 years

Thirty years ago, on 4th October 1979, a group met in a church hall in Pietermaritzburg. They decided to form an association “to monitor,enquire into, record and publicise all matters related to the social and economic position of persons in the rural areas of the province”. Read more

John Aitchison

Amajuba – Situational analysis of the landless farm dwellers

Many farm dwellers in the Amajuba District Municipality struggle with land reform, and the government, especially local government, can do much more to improve their situation. Recently, AFRA and farm dweller committees undertook research to establish the true situation in the district. Read more

Bringing development through the child sponsor support programme

A partnership between AFRA and the Greytown Chapter of the Action Aid Child Sponsorship Programme has been making children’s voices heard in the Greytown area. This partnership programme linking an individual donor supporter with a child, seeks to benefi t the whole community because the child is seen as an ambassador for the community. Read more

Actions supported by AFRA

Greytown March — 15 April 2009

In April AFRA supported a march in Greytown against BEE company Nomalanga, that had leased farms from black communities through the Department of Land Aff airs via the Government’s Land Reform Programme.

Skeiwerkop Farm Land Reclamation — 15 May 2009

Since 1995 the landless people of Skiewerkop Farm have been deprived of grazing and cropping rights by the current owner. AFRA and landless people from Utrecht, Dannhauser and Newcastle therefore fully supported them when, after many fruitless attempts to engage government through the Department of Land Aff airs (DLA), they reoccupied their land on the morning of 15 May 2009. Read more

Youth on farms - State Land, Camden Farm

Growing up on a farm was not a walk in the park. In the mornings we had to milk the cows, take them to their grazing land, take a bath and walk a mile to school. By the time we got there, we were exhausted and unable to work productively.” says Musa Madlala, a youth from a farm. Read more

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Last Update: 31 August 2010

  • 39,982 commercial farmers in SA - Minister. Politicsweb 30 August 2010

  • Not yet uhuru in the Richtersveld. Mail & Guardian 27 August 2010

  • Land reform - With green paper out real debate to start. Leadership 26 August 2010

  • Rural communities’ rights threat. Daily Dispatch 20 August 2010

  • Small farmers talk of land grab. Sowetan 18 August 2010

  • Land reform basics. The Witness 18 August 2010

  • Farm workers must get in on the act. Sunday Times 15 August 2010

  • Agriculture: Joemat-Pettersson replies to Zille. Politicsweb 15 August 2010

  • No fears of Zim-style invasions. Daily News 11 August 2010

  • Land Affairs: extended strike could increase survey backlog and halt development plans. The Witness 11 August 2010

  • ANC destroying agricultural production - Zille. Politicsweb 9 August 2010

  • Farmers beef up their new land. Sunday Times 8 August 2010

  • New S.African land policy still under wraps. AFP 7 August 2010

  • Lands: New heads named. The Witness 4 August 2010

  • KwaNalu backs AgriSA walk-out at farm talks. The Witness 4 August 2010

  • AgriSA defending unscrupulous farmers - Govt. Politicsweb 3 Aug 2010

  • AgriSA distances itself from summit resolutions. Politicsweb 3 Aug 2010

  • Farmers should surrender 50% ownership to workers - Summit. Politicsweb 3 August 2010

  • A voice for farm workers . Mail & Guardian. 3 August 2010

  • Farmers in clash with government. The Mercury 2 August 2010

  • Semi-slave relationships endure on farms - Vavi. Politicsweb 30 July 2010

  • Farm workers vulnerable - Zuma. Politcswed 30 July 2010

  • Cosatu deplores farm workers' conditions . Business Report 30 July 2010

  • Zuma admits farm workers' conditions are not ideal . Business Report 30 July 2010

  • Minister congratulates Zille over farm worker proposal . Polity 30 July 2010

  • AgriSA supports Ministry's reforms. Business Report 28 July 2010

  • Reform needs action, not paper. Sunday Tribune 25 July 2010

  • Gwanya steps down . Mail & Guardian 23 July 2010

  • Fury over traditional system. Mail & Guardian 23 July 2010

  • Scrap all traditional laws - union. News24.Com 21 July 2010

  • BAA 'undermined dignity of blacks' News24.Com 20 July 2010

  • Controversial land paper release delayed. Realestateweb 20 July 2010

  • Land reform plan to stir angry debate. Fin24.Com 19 July 2010

  • Land reform chief joins exodus from state. BusinessDay 19 July 2010

  • Thozi Gwanya has resigned - DA. Politicsweb 16 July 2010

  • KZN issues strong caution over Sosibo redeployment. Farme's Weekly 9 July 2010

  • Land claim beneficiaries need support - DA. Politicsweb 6 July 2010

  • Government owes R3.4 bn in land grants. Business Report 6 July 2010

  • Zuma strengthens relationship with AgriSA. BuaNews Online 2 July 2010

  • New Agric cash scandal. The Witness 2 July 2010

Archive of Land News Articles

Latest Reports from AFRA

  • AFRA Annual Report 2008. Download PDF (1360k)
  • Situational Analysis and Development Recommendations by and for Farm Dwellers in Amajuba District Council . Download PDF (1074k)
  • AFRA News No. 64 Nov 2008. Download PDF (609k) Download English translation PDF (207k)
  • AFRA Annual Report 2007. Download PDF (940k)
  • Towards a Vision and Policy Proposals for Land & Agrarian Reform September 2007, Newcastle, Amajuba District, KwaZulu-Natal. Download PDF(182k)
  • Communal Property Institutions Workshop27-29 November 2007, Ladysmith Motel. Download PDF (140k)
  • The rise and fall of Socio-Economic Land Rights in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa - A case study. May 2007. Download PDF (349k)
  • “Some kind of civil war”: Trend report on the ongoing conflict over land rights on farms in KZN. July 2007. Download PDF (304k)

AFRA Press Statements & Articles

  • AFRA's Statement on the Constitutional Judgement of CLARA. 14 May 2010. Read more
  • Statement on Farm Killings. 8 April 2010. Read more
  • AFRA Statement on the delay in settling land restitution claims and suspension of land reform officials in the Ladysmith District on allegations of corruption. 25 March 2010. Read more
  • “Land Rights are Human Rights” by Nokuthula Mthimunye. Read more
  • Land plans: ‘Please explain” 18 March 2010. Read more
  • Statement on Kennedy Road Informal Settlement by AFRA - 30 September 2009. Read more
  • Land Anger: The government must stop its meddling - Blessing J. Karumbidza and Nokuthula Mthimunye. 23 April 2009 Read more
  • Land Rights for the Poor - Lisa delGrande 24 Sept 2008 Read more
  • New Forms of Land Dispossession - Thabo Manyathi. 11 Sept 2008 Read more
  • Landless Farm Dwellers to March for Access to Justice - 13 March 2008 Read more
  • Successful and peaceful land reform and secure land rights for all requires an affordable and accessible justice system for all! - 31 January 2008. Read more
  • Newcastle judgement regarding Kubheka burial dispute 30 January 2008 . Read more


 
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