Study Tour of Zimbabwe

Meeting report

AGRICULTURE AND LAND AFFAIRS PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
3 June 2003
STUDY TOUR OF ZIMBABWE
 

Draft Interim Report on Study to Zimbabwe (final version is still to be edited as report under discussion)

SUMMARY
An interim report on the study tour on Zimbabwe was circulated among the members of the Committee. It was then, requested by members who were not part of the delegation that they should be given a reasonable time to read and analyse the report. Meanwhile the members of the delegation would meet during the course of the week in preparation of a final report that would be formally tabled before the Portfolio Committee.

MINUTES
Mr Masithela (Chairperson) briefly outlined the objectives of the visits to Zimbambwe and these inter alia included:
-to study broadly the land reform programme against the background of the Communal Land Rights Bill which would be tabled forthwith, before the committee.
-to ascertain the impact of communal land reform on other stakeholders.
-to assess the role of traditional leaders in the land reform process; and
-to ascertain the shortcomings, success and the implementation of the agricultural land reform.

He pointed out that the report contained a balanced normative report and inputs made by various stakeholders. These stakeholders included the office of South African High Commissioner; Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition; African Institute for Agrarian Studies, the United Nations Development Programme, World food Programme, South African Farmers in Zimbabwe, the Vice President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, the Minister of Lands; Zimbabwe Farmers Union; Commercial Farmers Union and Indigenous Commercial Farmers Union.

He then noted that the delegation would make recommendations as to what South Africa could learn out of Zimbabwean land reforms.

Mr Farrow (DA) proposed that members of the committee who did not form part of the delegation to Zimbabwe be given sufficient and reasonably time to read the interim report.

Mr Masithela agreed to adjourn the process and to allow the members to have a look on the report. The delegation would meet during the course of the week to prepare a final report to be tabled formally before the Portfolio Committee.

Please note that the attached report is an interim draft report yet to be discussed and amended.

The meeting was adjourned