Abstract:
This thesis presents a study of post-settlement challenges faced by land restitution beneficiaries
in the Vhembe District in the Limpopo Province. Whilst it can be assumed that the government
is attempting to address the challenges regarding the management of land reform processes in
South Africa, with the aim of redressing the injustices in land ownership in South Africa, the
land restitution beneficiaries, however, are faced with enormous challenges. This is evidenced
by the continued increase in the collapse of the projects they have inherited. Many land reform
projects have been implemented in South Africa since 1994, in an attempt to redress the
imbalances in land ownership, and although, there is a general perception that many of these
land reform projects are failing, there is limited evidence provided as to why these projects are
failing and how such failures can be addressed (Lubambo, 2011:iv ). The aim of this study was
to investigate the post-settlement challenges faced by land-restitution beneficiaries in the
Vhembe District Municipality, through an empirical analysis of their impact on sustainable
economic development. The study contributes by providing suggestions for the improvement
of the lives of the land restitution beneficiaries through better management of their projects or
land. The study, thus, was conducted to find solutions or a model that can be used in addressing
the plight of the beneficiaries and to ensure the sustainability of projects for economic
development.
A mixed research method in which both quantitative and qualitative research approaches were
used because they can be integrated in such a way that both methods retain their original
structures and procedures. A qualitative approach was applicable, because it allows openness
to ideas, experiences, opinions and feelings expressed by participants, while the quantitative
approach allows a broader view which guarantees results from many respondents. Purposive
sampling was used to select the respondents based entirely on the researcher’s judgment
regarding the characteristics of the participants. Two instruments were used to collect data,
namely, questionnaires and interviews. The reason for selecting the structured questionnaire
and an open-ended interview schedule was to get sufficient relevant information about the
study. To analyse data, two types of data analysis were used: for data collected through
questionnaires, the Statistic Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used and for the data
collected through interviews a thematic analysis of the respondents’ narratives was done.
v
The study showed that after the transfer of land to the beneficiaries, they are confronted by
numerous challenges, such as - inability to access capital, group infighting, lack of adequate
support from key stakeholders, corruption, as well as lack of communication and planning
amongst the stakeholders.
The study concluded that inappropriate planning and lack of post-settlement support impact
negatively on sustainable economic development of the land restitution beneficiaries. The
findings recommended the following specific solutions - developing a well-communicated
Code of Conduct and Constitution which should be followed; the introduction of annual
training on different skills, such as business and project management; extensive support from
all the layers of government, especially, on the development of farmers and sourcing funding
for them; development of a communication strategy, and the strengthening of the roles and
responsibilities of the Communal Property Associations (CPAs). It is anticipated that these
research results will help, regionally and internationally, states, policymakers and beneficiaries
with similar challenges faced in South Africa,
The limitations of the study were that the sample was predominantly black people as they are
the main beneficiaries of the land reform programmes and the research was conducted only in
the Vhembe District in the Limpopo Province, which is just one of the fifty-two districts in
South Africa.