The UK’s Mail online reports how the SA government spent a (large) fortune in its endeavor to redistribute the country’s farmland white to black. The government bought thousands of hectares of white owned farm land and mostly gave it to poor blacks. Some of it was also sold at mostly low prices.
But now the minister of land reform, Gugile Nkwinti, admits that nearly 30% of this land have simply been resold to the original owners. ‘The government bought land and handed it over to aspirant farmers who then sold it again, in many instances back to the original owner.’
It does not take a degree in economics to argue that SA’s land redistribution policy is inefficient. In most cases land is bought at above its market value. After the land has been given, or sold at a discount, to new black owner simply sells it back to the white farmer. The governments is conned twice, by it’s own stupidity and admission.
The new SA government want 30% of agricultural land to be farmed by black as early as next year. Thus far it has managed to buy and successfully redistribute 2%. The track record is dismal.
Many influential politicians in SA is of the opinion that the problem can only be solved by following in the footsteps of our neighbor, Bob Mugabe of Zimbabwe. There the government forcibly evicting 5,000 white farmers from their farmland.
Accoring to Nkwinti he wanted to solve the problem “yesterday”.
“We think it’s going to take a bit of time and it will require patience.’
