South Africa has had a long and troubled past with the tension between land ownership and race. Since the dissolution of the apartheid, the country has been struggling to rectify the unjust distribution of land. Now, however, politics are coming to a head over the issue of land reform in South Africa. The African National Congress (ANC) has introduced legislation with the support of President Ramaphosa to reform the constitution to expropriate land without compensation. This move has pitched the debate even higher. Some believe this is the only way to fairly distribute lands in South Africa, while other point to Zimbabwe as an example of what could befall the country should this new policy on land reform move forward.
History of Racist Land Policy
South Africa’s history with racism is still fresh in the minds of its people. The apartheid dissolved not too long ago, in 1994. With it, South Africa abandoned the Natives Land Act and replaced it a policy of land restitution.
In 1913, the Natives Land Act made segregation and land disenfranchisement legal. The law prohibited white farmers from buying from the native population and vice versa. The problem with this was that farmers already owned all the most fertile farming land, relegating black citizens to crowded cities and preventing them from owning land of their own. Before they replaced the law,the white minority owned 87% of land in South Africa.
In 1994, the majority party African National Congress, came to power and promised to transfer 30% of the land owned by white farmer to its black citizens. This has not occurred. The government has only redistributed 10% of the land, and the citizens of South Africa are becoming impatient.
Tensions Rise
140 days ago, South Africa elected a new president. Cyril Ramaphosa, a member of the ANC, has insisted that land reform must be accelerated. According to BBC news, Ramaphosa considers land dispossession the original sin of South Africa. He is in support of expropriation without compensation, and it is believed that the policy will take hold under his presidency.
There are more radical factions within South Africa. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) founded by Julius Malema calls for the nationalization of all land within South Africa. Julius Malema gained fame in 2010 after a court ruled a song he sang called “Kill the farmer, kill the Boers” as hate speech. It should be noted that the ANC defended Malema’s song, saying the song memorializes history rather than calls for violence.
Farm Killings Motivating Exodus?
There have long been fears of violence against white farmers. This dates back to the presidency of Nelson Mandela in which he noted a jump in farm violence. Furthermore, it is true that farms are a vulnerable target. They are isolated from police help, have expensive machinery, and often have very little security.
South African Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton used this reasoning to propose expedited visas for white farmers moving to Australia. He cited groups such as Afriforum, who claim white farmers are four times as likely as other citizens to be murdered. Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott supported the proposition. He claimed that 400 white farmers had been murdered in 2017.
The problem lies, however, with the fact that the figures on violence against white farmers are difficult to verify. Australian Broadcasting corporation effectively debunked Abbott’s claim. An agricultural union has said that in 2017, 84 farm murders occurred in South Africa. Of these, 59 were white farmers. However, . The government has stopped collecting data on race in farm violence, and thus all reporting is self-made by Transvaal Agricultural Union.
Whether or not most farm violence is motivated by race or by robbery, the fear that Ramaphosa’s new land reforms policy will stir more violence is far-reaching.
Zimbabwe’s Failures in South Africa’s Future?
Another point of opposition to possible land reform is Zimbabwe’s example. Before the 1990s, the British government funded half the cost of willing sales. After the British government refused to further finance land reform, Zimbabwe adopted a compulsory sale approach. Violence broke out both against white owners and black farm workers, who lost their employment.
At the time, Zimbabwe had 4,500 white commercial farmers. Now, there are only 300. As a result, over 450 of the country’s 500 coffee companies have closed. Before the compulsory land reform, tobacco was the country’s main export. From 2001 to 2005, tobacco production dropped by ⅔. Zimbabwe’s economy has suffered immensely. Starvation is now a large problem for the once agriculturally rich country.
Many are afraid South Africa is on the same path. Many of the redistributed farmlands are unsuccessful. The new owners, not having in the farming business, often have trouble making the farm productive. Furthermore, 70% of expropriated land is unsown. The government did not give it to new owners over fears that they would resell to white farmers.
A Way to Work?
There are some successful examples of willing land redistribution. In one case highlighted by the BBC, a fifth-generation farmer taught a group of 36 new farm owners to effectively manage a farm. Both farms are productive and profitable. This example may give some hope that the situation of land reform will be resolved.
The majority of the country, however, is highly polarized. Tensions under President Ramaphosa are rising over land reform, and anger from both sides shows no sign of abating anytime soon.
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