Restituted land is fertile ground for a new generation of rural entrepreneurs
South Africa’s land restitution programme, long criticised for the slow pace of progress and unproductivity, is beginning to show a different side. In pockets of the country, communities that once struggled to turn restituted land into viable enterprises are breaking through the barriers of mismanagement, underfunding and policy inertia. Their success stories are beginning to show that when land is used productively, it can transform lives and stimulate rural economies.
The Mamahlola Communal Property Association (CPA) in Limpopo is a prime example. After reclaiming their land in 2001, they entered into a community private partnership (CPP) with Serala Estate, facilitated by the Vumelana Advisory Fund, a non-profit organisation that was established to help communities in the land reform programme to put their land to productive use. Together, they have transformed 370 hectares into productive farmland, cultivating soft citrus, avocados and macadamia nuts.
The farm employs just over 166 members of the beneficiary community, indirectly impacting more than 1 300 households. This partnership has stimulated local economic activity, supported small businesses and funded skills and education programmes for young people.
Other communities have demonstrated similar successes. In Mpumalanga, a young entrepreneur from the Coromandel Trust built a broiler chicken farm on restituted land. The project creates part-time jobs and continues to showcase the potential of small-scale rural enterprises. In the North West, the Barokologadi CPA through Vumelana’s support, successfully partnered with the Elephant, Rhino, People (ERP) to establish the Melorane Game Reserve.
The initiative has created opportunities in eco-tourism and conservation and runs a skills centre in Pitsedisulejang village to train local youth. In Limpopo, the Moletele CPA uses its land for agro-processing ventures. The programme allows young entrepreneurs to gain skills and launch local businesses.
In the Eastern Cape, Vumelana facilitated a CPP agreement with the Mkambati Land Trust, which represents seven villages. Through this partnership, the GweGwe Beach Lodge and associated villas were developed within the Mkambati Nature Reserve. The project has created more than 100 jobs for local community members and provided training in hospitality, construction and operations. Vumelana also supported the trust with governance and administrative capacity building to enable the Trust in driving coherent communication, effective governance processes and financial management and reporting.
These successes illustrate a broader principle that, when communities have access to post settlement support which includes governance support, capacity building and have well-administered partnerships, restituted land can become a launchpad for inclusive economic development. We need to aggressively replicate this in order to make land reform work for communities.
Since 2012, Vumelana has facilitated in excess of R1 billion in private investment, supported 26 partnerships through the Community Private Partnership model, positively impacted more than 16,000 households and helped to create or preserve “over 2,500 jobs.”
Peter Setou is the Chief Executive of the Vumelana Advisory Fund (Vumelana) a non-profit organisation that was established in 2012 to help communities in the land reform programme to put their land to productive use through its Community Private Partnership (CPP) model. Vumelana funds advisory services to structure commercially viable partnerships between communities and investors that create jobs, income and skills. Vumelana aims to demonstrate the value of partnerships as a means of fostering productive use of restored land, providing linkages to finance, skills and networks needed to make effective use of land and encourage a more inclusive agenda for land reform.
For more information about the organisation, visit www.vumelana.org.za. To contribute to Vumelana’s work, email info@vumelana.org.za
“The flourishing community private partnership has transformed 370 hectares into productive farmland, cultivating soft citrus, avocados and macadamia nuts
