Archive photo for illustration purposes only. (Photo: Sascha Lichtenstein/Unsplash)
The FF Plus says a “damning” report from the Special Investigation Unit (SUE) shows that corruption, poor management and incompetence in the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development undermine the success of land restitution.
The report was presented to the parliamentary portfolio committee on land reform and rural development on Wednesday.
According to dr. Wynand Boshoff, FF Plus MP, points out that the department itself, and not the principle of “willing buyer, willing seller”, is the biggest obstacle to successful land restitution.
The investigations were carried out between 2011 and 2017 in terms of five proclamations. According to the SOE, more than R654 million worth of contracts and administrative decisions have been set aside or declared invalid.
The investigations also led to 611 referrals to the National Prosecuting Authority, while cash and assets worth more than R306 million have already been recovered. Another R250 million can possibly be recovered.
The SOE highlighted six factors which, according to the unit, contribute to systematic corruption. These include, among other things, dishonest officials, poor record keeping, inadequate control and verification systems, poor management and the involvement of “unscrupulous legal professionals”.
Archive photo for illustration purposes only. (Photo: Christopher Eden/Unsplash)
Boshoff says the findings show that the department cannot be trusted with land restitution.
“These data undermine any hope of successful restitution,” he said.
He believes that actors in the agricultural sector are often wrongly blamed for problems with land reform, while the real problems lie in the department itself.
Boshoff also referred to the MK Party’s proposal to move back the cut-off date for land claims from 1913 to 1652. According to him, the land issue is an emotional and political subject, but it can only be solved sustainably if the department has sufficient capacity and food security is not harmed.