How To Lease Land From The government In South Africa

Below is How To Lease Land From The government In South Africa

Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development minister Thoko Didiza has announced plans to distribute agricultural state land as part of the government’s land reform programme.

In a press briefing on Thursday (1 October), Didiza said that over the next two weeks, the government will issue advertisement notices for over 500,000 hectares of underutilised or vacant state land in the following provinces:

Eastern Cape – 43,000 ha;

Free State – 8,333 ha;

KwaZulu-Natal – 3,684 ha;

Limpopo – 121,567 ha;

Mpumalanga – 40,206 ha;

Northern Cape – 12,224 ha;

North West – 300,000 ha.

Gauteng and Western Cape have no land to be advertised, Didiza said. “The advertisement notices will be in the local, district and provincial newspapers, websites and local radio stations,” she said.

“Application forms will be made available in the district offices and provincial offices of the Departments of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development as well as Municipal District offices.”

The advert will run from 15 October – 15 November – a full calendar month. This 30 day period is to ensure that people have enough time to make their applications.

The main eligibility criteria include:

The applicant must be a South African citizen;

The applicant must be 18 years or older;

Priority within the target group will be given to women, youth and people with disabilities;

Applicants must indicate their current farming area;

A successful applicant must operate the land for the duration of the lease contract. They must also demonstrate a basic capacity to work the land;

Bias will be shown to people who have farming experience of at least three to five years.

Enquiry

Didiza said that unsuccessful applicants will have an opportunity to register their appeals to the Land Allocation Appeals Committee.

“A land inquiry process will be on-going on state land that is already occupied without formal approval from the department,” she said.

“Such enquiry will assess farms that have been acquired through the Pro-Active Land Acquisition (PLAS) programme. The land inquiry will investigate and determine how individuals and communities that are currently occupying the land got access to it.”

Didiza said that the enquiry will also look at how the land is currently being utilized and whether such use is in accordance with the agricultural practices for the area.

” Where such land has been used for settlement, an assessment will be done, together with the departments of human settlement and water affairs, environmental, forestry, and fisheries,” she said.

“Based on the outcome of the assessment and recommendation, a decision will be taken on the future of such occupations.”

Didiza said that the government offers a 30-year leasehold, with an option to buy. This form of leasehold places certain obligations to the state as the lessor and beneficiaries as the lessees.

How do I check my land claims in South Africa?

Phone +2712 312 8911.

E-mail: queries@drdlr.gov.za.