Die wegbeweeg vanaf gematigdheid na 'n radikale grondherverdelingsbenadering as transformasieprioriteit in Suid-Afrika

Abstract

A key reason for the establishment of the African National Congress (ANC) in 1912 was ensuring and securing access to land for the landless masses. Since then land redistribution remained key concepts in the ANC's policy vocabulary. This importance of redistribution and access to land was also emphasized in the 1955 Freedom Charter of the movement, and again in the 1994 ANC election manifesto. In 2017 the objective of access to land and redistribution has however not yet been realised. A contemporary priority concept that is therefore frequently linked to the notion of radical socio-economic transformation in South Africa (SA) is the call for accelerated land redistribution towards black economic empowerment. In this respect there is consensus amongst most academics and opinion formers, that land reform with a specifi c emphasis on the pace of redistribution is slow and does not necessarily benefi t the previously disadvantaged masses. It is argued from different angles that government has, up to now, followed a moderate approach to land redistribution. This moderate approach contributed to a large extent to the current slow pace of land redistribution. In line with calls for radical economic transformation the SA government is currently under pressure to move away from this moderate school of thought to a more radical land redistribution approach. It is the purpose of this article to analyse the reasons for this moderate approach and contrast it with the elements of the evolving more radical policy and implementation approach. In effect the following question is being addressed: What is the rationale behind the current moderate government approach to land redistribution and which factors and elements will have an influence on the evolving radical approach?