Agriculture Minister siezes two farms

Agriculture and Land Affairs Minister Lulu Xingwana this week put the "use it or lose it" principle into action and seized an ostrich farm from land restitution beneficiaries. (From Business Report)

"Land must be fully utilised … no farm must be allowed to lie fallow," Xingwana said in Hammanskraal outside Pretoria in a speech released to the media yesterday.

She visited the ostrich farm on Wednesday and lamented its deterioration since it was sold to the department in 2007 for R3.5 million and then leased to Phaphamang Ma-Africa for R168 000 per annum.

"Of the 77 ostriches originally on the farm, only 57 could be accounted for. Several of the birds were limping and they were in a chronic condition (and) would therefore probably not respond to treatment.

"It is also important to note that despite all these support systems, it is apparent to me that the beneficiaries are not passionate about farming."

She said equipment had been sold, tools were missing and the once-viable restaurant had been stripped of all chairs and tables. (Sounds a bit like Zimbabwe!?)

The Gauteng farm Yzervarkfontein was taken back by the government as no productive farming had taken place on it since 2007, the Department of Land Affairs said today. (SABC)

Eddie Mohoebi, a department spokesperson, said the farm on the East Rand was taken back from Veronica Moos under the "Use it or Lose it" campaign. The farm was acquired by government for R1.7 million and was subsequently leased to Moos for R2 000 per annum.

Moos was given a further R200 000 infrastructural grant to do some electrical work and acquire equipment but when government inspected whether it was being used, it discovered that Moos had sub-leased it. "One of the elements of land reform is the State has the right to terminate the lease if there is no productive farming on the land," Mohoebi said.

During the visit, the minister said government would take back at least five more farms in Gauteng, the Free State and the Eastern Cape. A task team was traversing the country to evaluate farms allocated to black farmers to determine if they were productive.

(One farm is bought for R3.5 million and is then leased for R14000 per month. Another farm is bought for R1.7million and it is leased for R2000 per month!? How does that make sense? Hau!)