The land question has again brought our fledgling democracy to a tipping point. Rooted in popular sentiment and promoted by vote-seeking politicians, the belief seems to be gaining ground that a radical change of land ownership would redress past injustices, create jobs and eliminate rural poverty. Nothing could be more misleading or potentially damaging. While the need for land in and around urban areas to accommodate population growth and economic refugees fleeing rural poverty is self-evident, the state’s acquisition of more commercial farmland by whatever means is questionable. Of the 8,000 farms reportedly bought by government for restitution or redistribution, there seems to be general agreement that 70%-80% are not productive. If the aim is to increase the number of emerging farmers in mainstream agriculture, it needs to be established why so many farms acquired by government are not productive. Do the beneficiaries have a historical attachment to the land but no desire to fa...
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