By Candace Freeman

Thousands of emerging black farmers are benefiting from increased land delivery, the Department of Land Affairs says.

Director-General Gilingwe Mayende was speaking in Pretoria yesterday during a presentation of the department's overall progress for the past year and prospective plans for 2004.

The emerging farmers have found their opportunity for economic success through the Land Redistribution for Agriculture Development, which is the flagship of the department's land redistribution programme.

"The programme is aimed at facilitating the entry of black emerging farmers into our agricultural economy," Mr Mayende said.

"Since its inception in August 2001, the programme has grown in leaps and bounds, resulting in black emerging farmers becoming meaningful and successful players in the South African economy," he said.

By September 2003, more than 400 000 hectares of land was delivered to almost 20 000 emerging farmers.

Plans for next year include the implementation of the Communal Land Rights Bill, which will for the first time grant tenure security to millions of South Africans living in rural communal areas.

"The bill was approved by cabinet in October and is currently being put through parliament for final debate in the national assembly," said Mr Mayende.

Public hearings on the bill are expected to start early next year with implementation following in the second half of the year.

Also envisaged is the consolidation of the Extension of Security of Tenure Act and the Labour Tenants Act. "The consolidation", said Mr Mayende, "is aimed at overhauling the two acts so as to confer independent tenure rights to persons who occupy land that does not belong to them."
- BuaNews