sugar industry: concerned farmers speak out
18 December 2007

Protracted land claims degrade properties and threaten to render productive farms unprofitable.  Cane farmers in the province have prepared a dossier of their concerns to present to the KwaZulu-Natal department of agriculture and environmental affairs early in 2008.  The document states that regardless of the industry's proactive stance on land claims since 1996, the situation has reached crisis point.

Protracted claims, no decisions being made by the regional land commission and the introduction of 100 percent restitution of a claim - with no consideration to post-settlement nor sustainability of the industry - were just some of the issues raised. Cane growers' regional services director, Kathy Hurly, said there were many willing farmers who were prepared to assist the process.

"There are willing sellers and claimants. Staff at the regional land claims office also seem willing and yet we are having massive problems. The dossier of concerns is to find out who is causing the problem, who is setting the rules and whether or not politicians are influencing the processes."

Hurly said the dossier had been compiled by a group of farmers who had attended a workshop to try to find solutions.

"We have had a long association with the local land claims commission which includes secondment of staff, the signing of a memorandum of understanding and regular diary meetings. We also instituted the Inkezo land company to assist with support post-settlement."

The dossier states that whereas farmers had good relationships with the previous commissioner, the incumbent, Duduzile Sosibo, has reneged on signing agreements and has failed to attend meetings.

"Critical to the claims process is the sustainability of the cane supply. Protracted negotiation processes may lead to degradation of viable farms and large rehabilitation costs when the new owners take over.

"The 100 percent restitution instituted by the regional land commissioner's policy is setting up the new claimants to fail."

Development specialist Jeff McCarthy, commissioned by the South African Sugar Association to do research on the socio-economic impact of the industry, has also warned of the dire consequences of botched land claims.

"Over one million people depend on the sugar industry for their livelihoods in KwaZulu-Natal. Research has shown some worrying trends regarding the decline of sugar production in South Africa. Towns supported by the local industry show higher employment and standard of living than rural towns supported by other forms of agri-business. Schools are well managed and resourced. Good relationships exist between local government and the industry which results in beneficial community partnerships and projects. These would all be under threat if production in the sugar industry begins to markedly decline."

McCarthy said up to 30 000 direct and indirect incomes - or 100 000 people's lives - depended on one mill and its cane supply in KZN.

"Mill closures will have serious welfare consequences not only for those displaced from the mill but also for the farms in cane supply areas and associated economic activities."

Hurly said although the document had been compiled primarily to list farmers' concerns, solutions had also been mooted.

"We are committed to working with government through the land claim process and while we cannot get involved with individual claims, there are some suggested solutions to the issues. For example, we suggest small farms are managed by claimants, but a lease-back option should be considered for large tracts of land. There also needs to be synergy between the sugar industry and other forms of agri-business regarding land claims. We believe there should be a balanced structure from the highest government level and a strategy for all to work together pro-actively to solve these problems. An ombudsman for land reform has also been suggested," she said.

Hurly believed the newly created KZN Provincial Land and Agrarian Reform Forum would provide the correct platform for the questions and concerns to be answered.

"However, final implementation will be at local level and it is here that the remaining farmers will have a critical role to fulfil.

"Goodwill in spite of many bad experiences is still abounding."

Colleen Dardagan,  www.iol.co.za