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The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, on 14 July 2015, approved the acquisition of a R15.5 million farm for youth in Limpopo province’s Capricorn District.

The 826 hectares Waldburg farm, located at Capricorn District’s Molemole Local Municipality, was purchased by the department with the purpose of supporting the young agriculture graduates as part of the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy (PLAS).

The eight youth who will be beneficiaries of this acquisition have various agriculture qualifications with three of them having degrees; four with national diplomas and one with a certificate. They are currently on a two-year learnership programme with the Molemole Local Municipality.

Currently, the young graduates have been placed on two land reform farms (Mapfresh Produce Farms and Maiwashe Estate) and two privately owned farms (Elimark Farm and Soetdorings) to acquire practical skills in animal and crop production.

The Agricultural Sector Education Training Authority (Agriseta) has undertaken to register the graduates into a legal entity. Agriseta will also provide comprehensive mentorship support which will include governance and management; technical skills and enterprise skills.

Also in Limpopo province, the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, through its Recapitalisation and Development Programme, approved a R10.9 million financial injection into the Mamathola farms at the Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality in the Mopani District. The Mamathola farms produce bananas, avocados and mangoes.

KwaZulu-Natal

In addition to acquiring land in Limpopo province, the department has made four notable farm acquisitions in KwaZulu-Natal province worth R18.3 million combined. Two of the farms are located in the uMzinyathi District; and others are located in the Zululand and Uthukela districts.

Koningskroon Farm is 263 hectares of land located in the Ulundi Local Municipality in Zululand district. It was acquired with the aim of small-holder settlement and decongestion of the nearby communal area. The farm will be allocated to an emerging livestock farmer with 67 cattle who is limited by lack of adequate land to fully venture into commercial cattle farming.

A farm at uMvoti in uMzinyathi District was acquired in order to ensure tenure security of the 27 families that are residing on the 243 hectare farm. The family also uses the farm for grazing of their livestock.

Rietspruit Farm is 430 hectares of land at eNdumeni in uMzinyathi District that was acquired by the department to ensure tenure security of three families currently residing on the farm. The three families have been occupying the farm for over 65 years and are protected in terms of the Labour Tenants Act, Act No. 3 of 1996.

In the Uthukela District, a farm at Umtshezi was acquired with the target to empower members of Women in Agriculture and Rural Development (WARD). This would be the first farm acquired with the intent to benefit women within the uThukela District.

The women from Wembezi will be assisted to improve their already existing small chicken business which they currently operate from their back-yards for subsistence purposes. The 264.3 hectares farm currently has 21 chicken structures that accommodate 50 000 birds.

A total of 3 786.3 hectares amounting to R45 million have been acquired by the department.

The department acquires farms through the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy (PLAS), which seeks to acquire strategically located land for redistribution to emerging farmers. The acquisition approved will contribute towards achieving the development goals espoused in the National Development Plan.

Issued by Department of Rural Development and Land Reform