Post-settlement challenges on land restitution beneficiaries in the Vhembe District

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.