Government should provide ownership and developmental assistance for farmers on land in former homeland territories and should stop victimizing white commercial farmers as the enemy.

A sound land audit is necessary to stop the propagandistic vendetta against white commercial farmers in South Africa.

This stern reprimand comes from the chairperson of TAU SA North, Mr Dries Joubert, who says he is concerned about wild, propagandistic allegations with regard to land ownership in South Africa. He says politicians as well as some private businesses are jumping on the bandwagon of the cleverly disguised lie that 80% of all agricultural land in South Africa belongs to white commercial farmers.

He says the following questions should be asked:

Where is the most fertile agricultural land in South Africa? Is it possible that this could be in the old Venda and Transkei homelands? Which area in South Africa has the highest rainfall? Is it possible that Transkei qualifies?

"After some investigation and in the absence of any information from the government, the following information came to light:

"The total land surface of Limpopo province is 12 580 325ha. Nature reserves comprise 3 026 846ha, which is 24%; old homelands comprise 3 544 476ha (28%); cities and towns 355 780ha (2,8%); mining 23 136ha. (0.18%); and current commercial agriculture 5 630 087hs (44,75%). This does not include land sales to black owners or land transferred under the multitude of government schemes such as LRAD, restitution, etc," said Joubert. He adds that very few so-called authorities on the land ownership issue make any reference to land sales to black people after 1994.

"Government should at least have solid proof before wild allegations are thrown around. The TAU SA North regards these allegations as clever political propaganda, based on false assumptions and blatant lies," Joubert said.

"With a sound land audit, these allegations will be challenged and exposed for the blatant lie it is. White commercial farmers should not fall into this propaganda trap. Government should rather provide ownership for farmers in the former homelands and assist them to develop and should stop victimizing white commercial farmers as the enemy," Joubert concluded.