Source: Western Cape Provincial Government
Title: Dowry: Western Cape Provincial Land Summit
Speech by Cobus Dowry, Minister of Agriculture in the Western Cape at the Western Cape Provincial Land Summit
Chairperson, Premier Rasool, Cabinet
Colleagues, Our partners in the Summit
Commissioner, Beverley Jansen and Mr Terrence Fife, Other heads of Departments, Mayors,
municipal managers and councillors,
Representatives from our social partners, all other protocol observed, Ladies and Gentlemen.
This Summit today is very important in more than one way. It must be seen as part of our celebrations, not only in commemorating the fiftieth year of the Freedom Charter but also in the start of our second decade of freedom and democracy.
Secondly, in everything that we do in life it is necessary, from time to time, to stop, not only to reflect on the road that was travelled up to that specific point, but to look at the road ahead and if need be, to remap that road. I believe that today is one of those days where we have to take stock of the progress that we have made in Land reform, and the restitution of land and the degree of user friendliness of the processes. We need to acknowledge the successes but we also need to be frank and open in our discussion on the failures and the flaws in the whole Land Reform program.
The basis for our deliberations today must be the acknowledgement and the understanding that South Africa equally belongs to all who live in it, whether you are black or white or coloured or Indian.
The mere acknowledgement of the fact that our people have been robbed of their birthright to land, liberty and peace for many years by a form of government founded on injustice and inequality should be the driving force in our quest to empower our people through a process of provision of land in its many facets.
The only time that we dare claim that our country is prosperous and truly free will be when all our people live in genuine brotherhood, enjoying equal rights and opportunities to the extent that we have fully provided in the basic needs of every citizen as it is described in our constitution. Within the context of this summit we need to place specific emphasis on all those basic needs that is linked to land and landownership, In the last paragraph of the preamble of the Freedom Charter it is agreed that we pledge ourselves to strive together, sparing neither strength nor courage, until such a time as the democratic changes that were set out to achieve have fully been won.
Die Regering van die Wes-Kaap gee erkenning vir die beginsel dat die Wes-Kaap se belangrikste hulpbronne nie onder die grond voorkom soos in ander provinsies nie, maar dat ons belangrikste bate die omgewing en ons mense is.
Elf jaar gelede het die regering begin om planne in werking te stel wat gehoor moes gee en uitvoering moes bring aan die selfopgelegde taak om toe te sien dat die grond verdeel sal word tussen die wat dit besit, diegene wie dit help bewerk, die wie 'n behoefte het om grond te besit, die wie 'n behoefte het om grond te bewerk maar nog nooit 'n geleentheid gehad het om dit te doen nie en daardie gemeenskappe wie se grond van hulle weggeneem is en aan wie dit terugbesorg moes word.
Ons het dit vir onsself ten doel gestel om vir eens en vir altyd toe te sien dat rasgebasseerde beperking op grondeienaarskap tot 'n einde sal kom deur die nodige middele en infrastruktuur te voorsien om dit moontlik te maak vir elke Suid-Afrikaner om die eienaar van sy of haar stukkie grond te word, hetsy om daarop te woon of om dit te bewerk in 'n poging om 'n bestaan daaruit te maak en ook in 'n poging om hongersnood en armoede te beveg.
Die vryheidsmanifes s
EMAIL THIS ARTICLE SAVE THIS ARTICLE FEEDBACK
To subscribe email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or click here
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here







