Naledi Pandor: Land redistribution in South Africa will be difficult and take time

Former Minister Dr Naledi Pandor has conceded that the redistribution of land in South Africa will be difficult and will take time, confirming that the redistribution of land will be a prolonged process that requires multifaceted support.

Pandor spoke on Thursday following her lecture at the Mistra symposium on Thursday. In an exclusive interview with IOL, she addressed South Africa’s complex land reform issue.

“There are approaches that can be utilised… For example, there can be an increased release of state-owned land. But alongside redistribution, it is also a question of redistribution for what purpose.”

She stressed that land must be a productive asset that must be put to use. 

“So if you want to put land to use, people need proper technical support, advice on agricultural matters, and guidance about resources to use land effectively.”

Pandor mentioned the importance of the government's role beyond mere redistribution. 

“I don’t see redistribution as an end in itself. Black South Africans should have greater land ownership, but it must be productive. This means the government must do much more than simply redistribute land.

However, she acknowledged that the issue of land has attracted criticism from the US President Donald Trump, who is accusing South Africa of genocide targeted at white farmers, an allegation rejected by the government.

Pandor said South Africa must forge ahead with its multilateralism despite all the challenges.

“I support multilateralism because allowing the destruction of these institutions opens the door to unipolarity, and then we will be directed by just one country, and you don’t want that, so I think multilateralism needs to be understood and appreciated by communities broadly.

Pandor stressed the importance of international cooperation, saying, “We need to do more on local educational issues and that South Africa, from the time of writing the Freedom Charter, has always been about the people, and we must maintain that.”

On international efforts to end the ongoing genocide in Gaza, Pandor commended a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid and activists, including 10 South African activists, sailing for the Gaza Strip in an effort to break Israel’s siege on the region and deliver aid to Palestinians.

“We should be saying well done, encouraging them, and saying to Israel, allow the people of Gaza to get aid.”

Recent figures from the Gaza Health Ministry state that over 64,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the war began on October 7, 2023.

thabo.makwakwa@inl.co.za

IOL Politics