The government has said it is unlikely to meet land claims settlement targets for the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 financial years. This is said to be due to a reduction in budget allocation by the national treasury.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development said the Land Claims Committee has already started reviewing its annual targets.
Minister Thoko Didisa made this known in a written parliamentary reply. The report confirmed that approximately R34 million had been reduced from her allocation for the land reform and recovery program in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years.
Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Noko Masipa wanted to know what strategy was being put in place in response to the department's funding cuts.
FF Plus councilor Tamaryn Breed expressed concern about the budget cuts.
“The reduction in the department's budget, especially the reduction in the department's targets, is very worrying. All this proves that the Ministry of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has failed the people's expectations. All 90 percent of land projects have failed and pre-1998 land titles are still unresolved. This budget deficit has exacerbated this fact, leaving many people living without title deeds and living with insecurity. Just increase the number.”
Parliament's ACDP has also criticized the government for reducing budget allocations. ACDP says this reduction in funding reflects failures on the part of the government.
“The African Christian Democratic Party is not surprised, but disappointed, that Cabinet has approved a R34-million reduction in the base budget for Program 3 of the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development. The ultimate impact of this budget reduction is This speaks to a failure on the part of the ruling party on two fronts: political stability and policy certainty.The result is capital flight and our coffers. It has dried up,” explained Deputy Leader Wayne Thring.
