Land ownership by foreigners to be curbed

NEW LEGISLATION TO GIVE STATE GREATER SAY

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma announced the most radical land legislation since the 1936 Native Trust and Land Act in his state of the nation address.

He announced that government would be tabling the Regulation of Land Holdings Bill, which will place a ceiling on land ownership by South Africans, and a new regu- lation which will no longer allow foreigners to own land in South Africa.

Organised agriculture has already said that the proposed legislation shows how little the government knows about farming.

A ceiling of 12 000 hectares on land ownership will be contained in the proposed legislation, which is sure to be vigorously opposed in court by defenders of the property rights enshrined in the Constitution.

Foreigners will in future not be allowed to own land in South Africa. They will only be allowed long term leases.

Zuma said Rural Development and Land Affairs Mnister Gugile Nkwinti ’ s proposed plan to force farmers to share 50% of their land ownership with farm workers would go ahead.

According to the president, the legislation will be termed in such a way that the principle of willing buyer, willing seller will no longer apply if the state wants to acquire land.

In a major bow to socialism, the president also announced the creation of so-called agri parks, cooperatives which will be created in 27 of the country ’ s poorest municipalities.

Somewhat better news for commercial farmers was contained in the announcement that new export markets had been found, especially for maize and apples.