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Entries by AFRA
Africa Land Forum 2020: Mainstreaming Land Governance in the Agenda 2063
In this paper AFRA Director, Laurel Oettle provides a perspective from South Africa on what the impacts of COVID-19 and the lockdown that accompanied have exposed about our food system. This includes the contribution of small-scale (or family) farmers, how rapidly hunger can rise, and what could be changed to bring citizens back from the […]
Photo Narrative: Women and Time Poverty
Women farm dwellers are heavily engaged in domestic chores including collecting water and firewood, processing and preparing food, travelling and care-giving. This domestic workload often leads to “time poverty” which is the main reason why women are marginalised in farm economies and why young women migrate to urban areas in search for a better life. […]
Women’s grassroots collective organising, mobilising and advocacy
This case study seeks to illustrate that women – especially poor, farm dweller women – are invisible, often marginalised, and their voices are missing in land discussions. Furthermore, it documents the establishment of Qina Mbokodo, a group of women living on farms in the uMgungundlovu District, and how they are strengthening the voice of women […]
South Africa: Generations of Farm Dwellers Face Eviction
By Magnificent Mndebele Residents of a farm in Mpumalanga say they endure unbearable working conditions and routine abuse from the farmer, despite having lived on the land for decades. A farm in ward 15 of the Msukaligwa Local Municipality in Mpumalanga stretches for thousands of hectares. The farmer has diverse interests, but specialises in forestry, […]
The Land Claims Court approves implementation plan for the settlement of outstanding Labour Tenants Land Claims
This morning, the Land Claims Court approved the implementation plan prepared by the SPECIAL MASTER FOR LABOUR TENANTS for the resolution of outstanding labour tenants land claims. In his judgment Judge Meer said: “I am happy to approve the plan so that the work can begin.” The Land Claims Court ordered in 2016 that the […]
Media Statement: Land Claims Court to consider Implementation Plan for the settlement of Labour Tenants Land Claims on Thursday, 03 September 2020
CASE NO: LCC107/2013 MWELASE & OTHERS v DIRECTOR-GENERAL FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, LAND REFORM AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT & OTHERS This Thursday, 3 September, in a virtual hearing the Land Claims Court will consider an implementation plan prepared by the SPECIAL MASTER OF LABOUR TENANTS in collaboration with the National Department of Agriculture, Land Reform […]
Put women at the centre
THE lockdown has had shocking consequences for the poor. Though important to contain the spread of the Covid-19, it has significantly reduced women’s economic activities, increasing poverty and food insecurity. According to the United Nations report on the impact of Covid-19 on women, the majority of women’s employment is in the informal economy. To earn […]
Councils must service farms
MSUNDUZI Municipality and two other municipalities have to start prioritising the rights of farm occupiers and labour tenants. A court order to this effect was granted in June last year. However, Msunduzi applied for leave to appeal the order and because of this it was frozen. The order was also granted against the uMgungundlovu District […]
‘Counting in’ Farm Dwellers: Using Record-Keeping to Realise the Rights of People Living on Commercial Farms
Farm dwellers – that is, people who live on commercial farms owned by someone other than themselves – are a heterogeneous social group whose socio-economic rights, including those to land, continue to be violated and neglected. Little progress has been made in realising the constitutional rights farm dwellers have to housing, water, sanitation and security […]