CAPE TOWN — The government was unlikely to meet its 2014 target of redistributing 30% of all agricultural land as a result of the recession and the vast sums of money needed, Rural Development and Land Affairs Deputy Minister Joe Phaahla said yesterday.

In 15 years of land redistribution — as opposed to land restitution — about 5% of agricultural land has been transferred into black hands.

Phaahla told reporters that reaching the 30% target would involve “huge amounts of money” and “it does not seem reasonable that we will be able to meet the target”.

But he insisted that there was no formal decision that the target was unachievable. He said unless something “revolutionary” happened the target would not be achieved. And he insisted that “revolutionary” did not mean anything violent or involving “veterans” — a clear reference to the disastrous land grabs in Zimbabwe.

He did warn, however, that redistribution of agricultural land remained an imperative for the government, which “has no option but to correct the current situation of agricultural land ownership if the situation is not to get out of hand”.

He said his department was finalising the post-settlement support programme for all beneficiaries of land reform and that R300m had been set aside for this purpose. This would include mentorship, skills transfer and mechanisation. Food security was not negotiable and productive land that was redistributed had to remain productive, he said.

The failure of redistributed farms remains a contentious issue, particularly the repossession of farms which produce so little that farmers default on their Land Bank loans.

Phaahla’s department is in discussions with the departments of finance and agriculture about helping 400 farmers who are in debt to the Land Bank.

Phaahla also expressed concern at rising land prices when it comes to restitution. “It is interesting that land prices skyrocket as soon as government is the interested buyer.”

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