Land price premiums in South Africa's land redistribution process: a case study of Northern Kwazulu-Natal sugarcane farms
- Authors: Mbatha, Cyril N , Antrobus, Geoffrey G , Van Rooyen, Jonathan
- Date: 2010
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/142980 , vital:38182 , DOI: 10.1080/03031853.2010.491298
- Description: The desire to transfer 30 per cent of commercial farmland into the hands of black South Africans has progressed slower than anticipated. Politicians and government officials have blamed the market approach to the purchase of land for the challenges and failures in the process. An analysis of the transfer of sugarcane land in two districts in KwaZulu-Natal over the period 2000 to 2006 permitted a comparison of the prices paid to commercial farmers both in private transactions and in the case of sales to government. Data did not support the contention that the slow rate of transfer was due to a manipulation of land prices by landowners in an attempt to stall the process. It was concluded that the state lost most of its bargaining power in the land reform market due to the drawn out nature of the land valuation processes.
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- Date Issued: 2010
Land reform in South Africa: effects on land prices and productivity
- Authors: Van Rooyen, Jonathan
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Right of property -- South Africa , Land reform -- South Africa , Agriculture and state -- South Africa , Agricultural prices -- South Africa , Land tenure -- Government policy -- South Africa , Land reform -- Economic aspects -- South Africa , Real property -- Prices -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:987 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002721
- Description: South Africa’s land redistribution policy (1994-2008) has been widely publicised, and has come under scrutiny of late from the public, private and government spheres, highlighting a need for research in this area. The research examines progress in South Africa’s land redistribution programme in two of KwaZulu-Natal’s district municipalities, Uthungulu and iLembe. Specifically the research investigates whether the government has paid above market prices when purchasing sugarcane farmland for redistribution in these districts. Moreover, it is illustrated how productivity on redistributed farms has been affected with the changes in ownership. To investigate the research questions, reviews of theories pertaining to property rights, land reform and market structures were conducted. Moreover, two cases studies were conducted in the districts of Uthungulu and iLembe, with assistance from the Department of Land Affairs, Inkezo Land Company and the South African Cane Growers Association. The case study data indicate that above ordinary market prices have been paid (2004-2006) by the government for sugarcane farmland in the districts concerned, and further that productivity has been negatively impacted ‘during’ and ‘post‘ transfer, in the majority of cases.
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- Date Issued: 2009