Chairperson, Premier Rasool, Cabinet Colleagues, Our partners in the Summit Commissioner Beverley Jansen and Mr. Terrence Fife, Other heads of Departments, Mayors, municipal managers and councillors, Representatives from our social partners, all other protocol observed, Ladies and Gentlemen.This Summit today is very important in more than one way. It must be seen as part of our celebrations, not only in commemorating the fiftieth year of the Freedom Charter but also in the start of our second decade of freedom and democracy.

Secondly, in everything that we do in life it is necessary, from time to time, to stop, not only to reflect on the road that was travelled up to that specific point, but to look at the road ahead and if need be, to remap that road. I believe that today is one of those days where we have to take stock of the progress that we have made in Land reform, and the restitution of land and the degree of user friendliness of the processes. We need to acknowledge the successes but we also need to be frank and open in our discussion on the failures and the flaws in the whole Land Reform program.The basis for our deliberations today must be the acknowledgement and the understanding that South Africa equally belongs to all who live in it, whether you are black or white or colored or Indian.

The mere acknowledgement of the fact that our people have been robbed of their birthright to land, liberty and peace for many years by a form of government founded on injustice and inequality should be the driving force in our quest to empower our people through a process of provision of land in its many facets.

The only time that we dare claim that our country is prosperous and truly free will be when all our people live in genuine brotherhood, enjoying equal rights and opportunities to the extent that we have fully provided in the basic needs of every citizen as it is described in our constitution. Within the context of this summit we need to place specific emphasis on all those basic needs linked to land and landownership.

In the last paragraph of the preamble of the Freedom Charter it is agreed that we pledge ourselves to strive together, sparing neither strength nor courage, until such a time as the democratic changes that were set out to achieve have fully been won.

Die Regering van die Wes-Kaap gee erkenning vir die beginsel dat die Wes-Kaap se belangrikste hulpbronne nie onder die grond voorkom soos in ander provinsies nie, maar dat ons belangrikste bate die omgewing en ons mense is.

Elf jaar gelede het die regering begin om planne in werking te stel wat gehoor moes gee en uitvoering moes bring aan die selfopgelegde taak om toe te sien dat die grond verdeel sal word tussen die wat dit besit, diegene wie dit help bewerk, die wie 'n behoefte het om grond te besit, die wie 'n behoefte het om grond te bewerk maar nog nooit 'n geleentheid gehad het om dit te doen nie en daardie gemeenskappe wie se grond van hulle weggeneem is en aan wie dit terugbesorg moes word.

Ons het dit vir onsself ten doel gestel om vir eens en vir altyd toe te sien dat rasgebasseerde beperking op grondeienaarskap tot 'n einde sal kom deur die nodige middele en infrastruktuur te voorsien om dit moontlik te maak vir elke Suid-Afrikaner om die eienaar van sy of haar stukkie grond te word, hetsy om daarop te woon of om dit te bewerk in 'n poging om 'n bestaan daaruit te maak en ook in 'n poging om hongersnood en armoede te beveg.

Die vryheidsmanifes sê dat die staat die kleinboere sal voorsien van implimente saad trekkers en damme om die grond te bewaar en die werkers te ondersteun terwyl vryheid van beweging gewaarborg sal word aan elkeen wat die grond bewerk.

The process of restoring and undoing the wrongs of the past was not an easy one as it involved a process that was new to us and that had to start from scratch with no infrastructure or pure guidelines. On the issue of restitution I want to thank Commissioner Jansen for the sterling work that she and her office has done under difficult circumstances and with the little resources to her disposal in an effort to rectify the wrongs of the past and to give back to the people that which were taken from them over a long period of time.

We must however guard against the creation of false expectations with land in this province and in this country. It is abundantly clear that there are groupings that abuse the land issue in the Western Cape for short-term purposes.

Voorsitter, dit is belangrik om te onthou dat die die rykdom, maar meer nog, die waardigheid van die mense en veral die van landbouers gelê het in die besit van hulle grond. Grond en water en veral vrugbare grond is die basiese noodsaaklikheid om volhoubaar te boer. In die meeste van die gevalle waar restitusie van landbougrond ter sprake is, was mense van hulle goeie grond beroof soos byvoorbeeld in die geval van die mense van Ebenhaeser.

Let me quote to you from a document on the chronology of the dispossession of the land of the people from Ebenhaeser.

I quote: "The community was dispossessed of the most prized and fertile portions of their land. The dispossessed land is: situated higher up on the canal (so that the white land owners could get the water first); situated higher in altitude which constituted a safeguard against salination; it consists of the best quality alluvial soil and the community was left with predominantly Red Karoo soil. In return the community received land of exceedingly low quality and value at the time of dispossession".

Voorsitter op Maandag 21 Maart 2005 was daar 1500 begunstigdes wat uiteindelik 'n raamwerk ooreenkoms, geteken het oor die wyse waarop hulle eis afgehandel gaan word sodat hulle weer die volwaardige eienaars kan word van die grond wat in 1926 van hulle voorouers vervreem is.

Chairperson ownership and the possession of land is an emotive issue and therefore it should be dealt with accordingly. It is for this very reason that we should position ourselves to manage the process and see to it that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past.

I am of the opinion that rather than to be bogged down by too much statistics of programs and hectares that were transferred over the past 10 years we should look at the role that we have to play in order to drive the transformation agenda of which land reform, forms such an integral part. I will however from time to time just mention a few figures to indicate certain overall achievements.

The Department of Agriculture in the Western Cape, already, plays a vital role in many of the effected communities in the total land reform process with the emerging farmers as our clients.

The emerging sector in the Western Cape Province comprises different groupings, and within it, lies the challenges of the definition of the emerging sector and the type of services the Department of Agriculture: Western Cape has to deliver to ensure sustainability within the context of social responsibility and economic opportunities.

There is a perception that the support to black (African, Coloured and Indian) farmers is non-existent or extremely limited. However we are driven by our commitment to transform the total agricultural sector by placing special emphasis on the service we render to those previously disadvantaged farmers who are becoming landowners through all the various land reform processes.

Hierdie proses behels meer as net die suiwer stelling van die vryheidsmanifes wat praat van implimente, saad, trekkers en damme. Die vordering wat die afgelope twee jaar gemaak is en die planne vir die toekoms plaas opkomende boere of dan voorheen benadeelde boere vierkantig op die agenda van die Departement van Landbou in die Wes-Kaap.

The mission of the Department of Agriculture has changed to reflect the changes in requirements, and the services delivered to the emerging farming sector and, ties in with the objectives of Ikapa Elihlumayo and the vision of a home for all. It shows our commitment to enhance the economic, ecological and social wealth of the people of the Western- Cape through:Promoting the production of affordable, nutritious, safe and accessible food Caring for natural resources
Supporting sustainable development of rural communities
Providing economic opportunities for farming and rural communities
Promoting export opportunities for agricultural products and services
Reducing hunger in the Western Cape
Building the economy and to push back the frontiers of poverty.

Ten einde 'n betekenisveolle bydrae tot grondhervorming te lewer is verskeie veranderinge binne die departement van Landbou in die Wes-Kaap ten opsigte van die mandaat en strategie met die klem op opkomende boere aangebring.

A new directorate: Farmer Support and Development was established to support the land reform beneficiaries and through projects assist black farmers to access government grants for infrastructure development on farms, plots and commonages. The budget of this directorate was R 7 million in 2001. This was changed and in its place came:

1. A new programme structure for all nine provincial agriculture departments that was announced in 2003, and the Department of Agriculture: Western Cape embraced the new programme structure and the respective mandates assigned to each new programme. A restructuring process was entered into in 2004, and the "old" directorate: Farmer Settlement and the sub-directorate: Extension amalgamated to form the current programme: Farmer Support and Development (FSD), with a budget of R 79 million (a 1000% increase) to serve all farmers in the province with extension and advice, but only give grants for infrastructure development to black farmers.

2. The budget of R 79 million consists of different government funding sources, the budget this year allowed the FSD programme to appoint at least 63 technical personnel members to serve our black farmers in the province. This process was completed by 1 April 2005

3. With land reform a prominent issue, the alignment of working procedures between the Department of Land Affairs and Department of Agriculture (FSD programme) ensured that the target set in 2002 of 7000 land reform beneficiaries within 5 years was met in 2005. Through the various programs of the Provincial Land Reform office a total of 187 projects were approved up to this month. This represents 10,710 households of which 1470 are female-headed households. It involves 70,537 a to Showing clearly that cooperation is the way forward.

4. The challenge for the Department of Agriculture: Western Cape is the alignment to iKapa Elihlumayo and Provincial Growth and Development Strategy and to ensure that the issues of and challenges for emerging farming sector is represented but also addressed through the departmental processes. The strategic plan and the annual performance plan of the FSD programme in particular but in general the department gives clear indicators of the involvement of the department.

5. The Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme was implemented in April 2004 for the first time, after receiving about R 13 million from the National Department of Agriculture. These funds were all spent on black farmers, with at least 70% of the funds allocated to land reform beneficiaries (LRAD projects).

6. Links were also established with different farming unions, NGOs and other service providers interested in working with and for the emerging farming sector, other links were strengthened and expanded.

Voorsitter van die uitdagings wat ons in die gesig staar is om soos in die geval van Ebenhaeser toe te sien dat die oorname proses so glad as moontlik verloop sodat Landbouproduksie nie skade lei nie. Ons moet toesien dat daar bepaalde modelle is waarvolgens gemeenskappe op groot skaal kan boer of wat voorsiening maak dat bepaalde individue namens die gemeenskap sal boer. Die kwessie van opleiding van voornemende boere in die verskillende aspekte van boerdery vanaf boerdery metodes tot besigheidsbestuur moet die hoogste prioriteit geniet. Hoë potensiaal landbougrond is skaars en daarom kan ons nie bekostig dat die produksie op hierdie grond verlore gaan nie, maar gelyk hiermee, kan en wil ons nie toesien dat gemeenskappe verder verarm nie. Ons moet hierdie mense se vennote word in die skep van voorspoed en algemene welvaart.

On 17 February 2005, President, Thabo Mbeki made the following comments on land in the national assembly. He was responding to the debate on his 'state or the nation' address, I quote.

'*in 1993, 80 years after the adoption of the Land Act, we entered into an historic compromise. According to that covenant, we entered into an exchange that we would abandon all our claims to the land the African majority had lost before 1913, as a result of violent colonial dispossession.

'In return we expected two things. One of these was that such dispossession as took place after 1913 would be addressed without resistance on the part of those who benefited from land dispossession after that date.

'We also expected that those who had something to lose as a result of the dismantling of the colonial legacy would accept that a democratic system of government would be put in place. Naturally, this government would ensure that at least the post 1913 land claims would be settled without undue delay.

'Our experience with regard to the latter speaks for itself. To all intents and purposes, the vigorous defense of property rights even over land forcibly acquired since 1913, which rights are protected in terms of our constitution and laws, to buy all our people peace and democracy, has served to nullify the historic compromise of 1993 with regard to the land question.

For ten years our government has accepted this outcome, and will continue to do so. It will continue to prevail over the people to agree to live with this reality. We will continue to insist that the land question must be dealt with in a manner that is consistent with our constitution.

Everything I have said with regard to the land question should communicate the message that all of us, as South Africans, need to understand that as the struggle for freedom from white minority domination had its price, so will our efforts to achieve non-racism and national reconciliation have their price. That price will have to be paid by both black and white South Africans.

It calls for what may perhaps be called a miracle of true national reconciliation and the miraculous discovery that, after all, South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white, united in the diversity.

All of us would have to internalise the reality that our collective future depends on the ability of all our people to understand that the success of black South Africa is conditional on the success of white South Africa and that the success of white South Africa is conditional on the success of black South Africa.

If indeed we all come to understand this, together we would have to answer the question as to what white South Africa should do to ensure that black South Africa succeeds, and what black South Africa should do to ensure that white South Africa succeeds" Close quote

Chairperson - Today we will give everyone with a vested interest in land in this province the opportunity not only to raise problems and frustrations they might experience but this is the ideal opportunity to also come with solutions.

This province faces so many challenges - the housing problem - and I am glad that the Minister for Housing, Mr Marius Fransman is here today. But to talk housing we need to firstly talk land for housing. We as government must consider all the interests. Just as there is an outcry and need for land for housing there is a need for land for environmental aspects, a need for land for development and a need for land for golf courses and polo playing fields. There is a need for land for farming and there I a need for land for investment. All of this ensures that government must play a skilful balancing act.

But let us also face facts - and that is why I refrained from statistics. Although government can show successes we must also face up to the fact that there were failures.

I for one am extremely frustrated with the slow wheels of government which impacts on service delivery. As Minister I am dealing every day with bureaucratic processes, which have been put in place. I am dealing every day with lack of communication between different spheres of government and different departments. All this contributes towards your frustration and this we are addressing and the Premier has created a forum to overcome this.

But we also have successes. Already we have emerging farmers who are exporting their products, which can be found on European shelvesAn exciting new initiative is on its way. A total of R 1 billion has been allocated to initiate the MAFISA scheme in terms of Section 5 of the Debt Management Act of 2001, to support its administration and delivery. MAFISA a new credit scheme announced by Minister Didiza has the potential to benefit approximately 10 million farm and non-farm beneficiaries in this country such as farm workers, household producers, small-scale land owners, food garden producers, rural and micro-entrepreneurs to name a few.

Grond en die besit van grond het die vermoë om emosie op te sweep. As regering verstaan ons dit en begryp ons dit. Vandaar hierdie provinsiale beraad en oor 'n week begin ons ook met 'n nasionale beraad. Natuurlik kan dit nie net die regering wees wat die moue moet oprol met die voorsiening van grond nie. Ons vennote in die Groei en Ontwikkelingsplan van die Wes-Kaap Arbeid, besigheid en die Burgerlike samelewing het ook 'n verantwoordelikheid en hulle gaan vir hulle self praat.

Ek wil u vra om vandag eerlik en openhartig met ons te praat maar ook verantwoordelik te wees. Verwyte en bekuldigings gaan niemand help nie en dit gaan niemand baat nie. Ons moet nou saam begin kyk na oplossings.

Voorsitter ek wil afsluit deur vir u te sê dat die uitdagings wat voorlê om die Wes-Kaap 'n tuiste vir almal te maak ongelooflik opwindend is, maar dat dit slegs bespoedig sal word wanneer dit binne die mileu van 'n soomlose regering plaasvind. Daarom wil ek weer eens namens die Departement van Landbou 'n beroep doen dat alle Departemente en ons Sosiale vennote ons moet help om ook hierdie belangrike kwessie van grond en die eienaarskap van grond, met al sy fasette, so aan te spreek dat ons kan leer uit ons foute maar meer nog, dat ons mekaar sal help om die nodige aanpassings te maak tot voordeel van al ons mense. Dan sal ons met reg kan sê dat ons die vryheidsmanifes 'n lewende dokument gemaak het.

To quote Minister Didiza " The transformation of South Africa towards the vision of the Freedom Charter must therefore happen now! The responsibility in realizing its vision does not lie with government but with the people of South Africa who are the bricks and mortar of our country. The process of social and economic change through AgriBEE, through the land reform process as well as through land and agrarian policies a whole will continue.

Failure to do so will take our country fifty years backwards, it will widen the very division we aim to address as government and it will have failed the principles of the Freedom Charter that says: "The people shall share in the wealth of the country"

Ladies and gentleman today, the provincial government of the Western Cape reaffirm its commitment to land reform in this province. This is a challenge facing all three spheres of government and the Western Cape provincial government has accepted this challenge.

Let us therefore in a responsible manner discuss the land issue in this province. Let us not only put our problems on the table but also solutions, which will assist the Department of Land Affairs with the transfer of land. This Department under the capable leadership of Minister Thoko Didiza and Mr Terence Fife as provincial director faces enormous challenges and they are sometimes accused of dragging their feet. Let us resist this temptation but rather take their hand in strengthening all efforts in ensuring that this province reaches its land transfer targets.

Alie van Jaarsveld
Spokesperson
Ministry of Agriculture: Western Cape
Tel: 021 483 4930
Fax: 021 483 3890
Cell: 084 604 6701
E-mail: avjaarsv@pgwc.gov.za