Economic and Social Development: Interim Constitution Accord
Implementations
Economic and Social Development – 1993
Substantive issues related to economic reform, especially land reform, were addressed in the interim constitution.
Economic and Social Development – 1994
According to Joanne Yawitch, an ANC land-policy adviser, ” A reconstruction and development program of Mr. Mandela’s African National Congress aims Õto redistribute 30 per cent of agricultural land within the first five years of the program.Õ But it is a goal that may take twice as long to meet ‘because there will be huge fights.Õ”1
On November 8, 1994, Parliament passed a bill so that “victims of forced removals in South Africa can now reclaim their land”. “Millions of South African blacks who since 1913 were forcibly removed from their land under apartheid, can lodge claims for the return of their property”. The 212 members of Parliament voted in favor. Twenty six members rejected it. About 3.5 million poor and dispossessed people are to benefit under the government’s land reform program. Some 30 percent of agricultural land would be redistributed within five years.2
- “But who will own the land? SOUTH AFRICA / The dispute over property rights symbolizes one of the greatest challenges for the new government,” The Globe and Mail (Canada), May 10, 1994.
- “SOUTH AFRICA-POLITICS: LAND HUNGRY TASTE CHANGE,” IPS-Inter Press Service, November 9, 1994.
Economic and Social Development – 1995
In February 1995, the South African government launched a land redistribution pilot program. In a press conference on February 28, 1995, Land Affairs Minister Derek Hanekom said the object of the plan was to “achieve equitable and fair land distribution and to promote and secure the effective use of land as a resource, in a sustainable way. That is a major challenge.” The program which would go underway in areas in each of the nine provinces would cost 315 million rand (87 million dollars). Hanekom said that “80 percent of South African land belonged to 65,000 white farmers and the ultimate goal was to redistribute some 30 percent of that, most of which would come from bankrupt white farmers who had been kept afloat by state aid during apartheid rule.”1
Economic and Social Development – 1996
In his new year message to the National Parliament, president Mandela expressed the need to speed up the national reconstruction projects. He said that the land reform and housing programs were firmly on track.1
Economic and Social Development – 1997
According to a news report of December 12, 1997, the Commission on the Restitution of Land Rights is “completely dysfunctional,” under-funded, under-staffed and way behind on delivery, say land rights activists, government officials and commission insiders. Department of Agricultural and Land Affairs indicated that land restitution continues to lag far behind other land reform processes.1
Economic and Social Development – 1998
A multi-pronged research project conducted by the National Land Committee made it clear that the land reform targets of redistribution 30% farm land to the target group – poor, black, rural households could not be achieved within the existing legislative, procedural and resource limitations. It was revealed that less than 1% of farmland was redistributed. The market approach of land reform was said not to be appropriate as increased demand created by land reform could itself be driving up the price of land, thus further limiting the resources available for redistribution.1
Economic and Social Development – 1999
A lot of priority was given to reconstruction of the rural economic infrastructure, including land reform. Expected goals were not achieved. The Department of Land Affairs backtracked, saying it was unachievable to advance with the land reform initiatives. “Less than 1% of land has changed hands in the past five years, and the Rural Convention is poised to reassert the 30% demand for the next five years.”1
Economic and Social Development – 2000
In 2000, some progress on land reform was made, though the progress was very slow. According to a chief land claims commissioner, Wallace Mgoqi, “just over 63,400 restitution claims were lodged with the Land Claims Commission between January 1995 and the cut-off date of December 1998 by people who were forced from their land”. Among these cases, 4,925 claims were settled, benefitting some 91,406 people.1
Economic and Social Development – 2001
According to Commission on Restitution of Land Rights, a total of 39,209 households and 217,940 individuals benefited from the restitution process. Of the total number of claims settled, 7,343 claims were settled through actual restoration of land, benefiting about 23,000 households and 138,486 individuals with a total of 365,567 hectares of land restored. Beneficiaries for financial compensation totaled 16 330 households.1
With all these reconstruction and land reform initiatives, inequality in income and land possession remains between white and black communities.
Economic and Social Development – 2002
No further developments observed.