Foreigners will not be allowed to own land in South Africa, President Jacob Zuma said during his state-of-the-nation address to Parliament on Thursday.<\/p>\n
He said they would instead be eligible for long-term leases.<\/p>\n
“In this regard, the Regulation of Land Holdings Bill will be submitted to Parliament this year,” he said to applause in the National Assembly.<\/p>\n
Land had become a critical factor in achieving redress for the wrongs of the past.<\/p>\n
The second window for lodging land claims was reopened last year.<\/p>\n
Zuma said more then 36,000 land claims had been lodged nationally. The cut-off date was 2019.<\/p>\n
“We are also exploring the fifty\/fifty policy framework, which proposes relative rights for people who live and work on farms.<\/p>\n
“Fifty farming enterprises will be identified as a pilot project.”<\/p>\n
In terms of new proposed laws, a ceiling of land ownership would be set at a maximum of 12,000 hectares.<\/p>\n
Through the land reform programme, more than 90,000 hectares had been allocated to smallholder farmers, farm dwellers and labour tenants.<\/p>\n
“The process of establishing the office of the valuer-general is underway, which is established in terms of the Property Valuation Act,” Zuma said.<\/p>\n
“Once implemented the law will stop the reliance on the willing-buyer, willing-seller method in respect of land acquisition by the state.”<\/p>\n
South Africa is the most miserable country in Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n R700 billion lost to corruption in South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n