MAKHADO (LOUIS TRICHARDT) – Government should immediately desist from blaming the farming community for the lack of progress in the land restitution programme. A clear-cut Code of Conduct should be adopted in order to expedite positive and orderly progress in the Land Reform programme.

This clear message was given by Organized Agriculture to Limpopo Land Claims Commissioner Mr Mokono during a work session on December 1.

Senior spokesmen for the Transvaal Agricultural Union warned that the strategy to blame landowners for delays and high prices creates an ideal situation for corrupt officials and opportunists to enrich themselves through the process.

The latest work session follows an earlier meeting on November 11 during which blame for the unsatisfactory progress with the process, and the resulting frustration, tension and confrontation was squarely placed on the shoulders of Government, its provincial commissioner and local officials of the Land Claims Commission. They were taken to task for dragging their feet, ignoring official procedures and for a deliberate effort to demonise commercial farmers.

The latest work session was organised in an effort to get the orderly process going again.

Farmers who attended the “work session” this week expressed their disappointment with both the meeting and the lack of positive reaction since the previous meeting. They said Mr Mokono took the floor for almost two hours and repeatedly stressed that he has “a job” to do and must act on his instructions.

“What became abundantly clear during the work session is that Mr Mokono obviously has very little if any decision-making or executive powers with regards to issues like procedures and the allocation or payment of funds.

“The lack of seriousness with which correspondence is treated signifies a seriously flawed sense of commitment on the part of the relevant administration. Important documentation, which was urgently addressed to Mr Mokona’s office on November 11, has as yet not come to his attention.

“Contrary to the spirit of agreements reached in the presence of two MEC’s during the last meeting on November 2, Mr Mokono has again tried to put pressure on individual farmers,” a senior representative of the Soutpansberg District Agricultural Union remarked.

Earlier, Mr Andre Naudé, speaking on behalf of affected farmers, warned that disaster is imminent if the Land Claims Commissioner’s department continues to handle the matter in the way it has been done thus far.

“The problem with the land reform process up to this stage is that the approach of the commissioner was absolutely biased, politically and racially driven and subjective in favour of land claimants, ignoring the rights of farm owners as well as the demands of a sane society and a sound economy. This has brought the integrity of the process and the commissioner under suspicion,” he said. Mr Naudé said unreasonable expectations have been created, which led to frustration amongst both land claimants and land owners.

The chairman of the Soutpansberg District Agricultural Union, Mr Dries Joubert, emphasised during the meeting that no further farm visits or inspections can be tolerated, unless the prescribed screening process has been conducted to the satisfaction of the appropriate farm owners, and money is available for the process and an undertaking has been given that claims would be finalised within three months after agreement had been reached.

Mr Gideon Meiring, who recently returned from a bicycle tour from Tete, in the South of Malawi, said the effects of land reform in both Mozambique and Zimbabwe were very obvious.

“We saw very poor people living among the ruins of previous Portuguese farm houses. There were no signs of agriculture. We also saw no game.

“It is an incorrect assumption that only certain pieces of land have high potential. Almost all land and water is of high quality. You don’t get high-quality land. You only get high-quality farmers.”

He warned that South African agriculture could go the same tragic route if landowners did not guard against it in a concerted way.

The meeting took note of a suggested Code of Conduct which is now being designed by Mr Naudé and the Agricultural Union.