Fight over R300 million Chinese project to grow rice in Mpumalanga: report
With land redistribution a hot topic in South Africa, questions are being raised around two new ‘mega developments’ which have seen hundreds of hectares of land awarded to Chinese companies.
According to a report by the City Press, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the two communities in Bushbuckridge and Thaba Chweu have opposed the deals, stating that it was a form of land expropriation that will benefit foreign companies and negatively impact future generations in the area.
The first project will see Africa Sino Project enter into a long-term lease with the Bushbuckridge municipality, for no shorter than 50 years, to grow rice and develop a new agricultural hub.
This will be done on 100 hectares of land, and is said to be valued at R300 million, the paper reported.
Agriculture experts have noted that vast amounts of water will be needed to grow the crop in the area, as rice is grown mostly in water-logged Asian countries.
Africa Sino Project also plans to build a five-star hotel, upmarket rental accommodation and a water sports park on 93 hectares of land near the Kruger National Park, according to documents City Press has seen.
A Bushbuckridge council spokesperson confirmed that the municipality had asked government to release the land for “mega developments”, but that no land had been given to the investment company to date.
City Press also notes that the Thaba Chweu Local Municipality recently donated about 400 hectares to the Chinese company CSEEC, which is constructing the R380 million Duma substation on two hectares of land.
The rest of the land is being used to build Chinese workers’ houses and other amenities, the paper said.
You can read the full report in the City Press for 20 May 2018.
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