Question NW2602 to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
29 September 2022 - NW2602
Masipa, Mr NP to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
Whether her department has taken any action to support persons living on farms who are not working on the farms they live on to supply them with electricity and/or provide them with alternative energy arrangements to ensure that they are able to do basic cooking; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
Yes. DALRRD has approved subsidies of R58,588 million in the financial year 2021/2022 in terms of section 4 of the Extension of Security of Tenure Act, 2018 (Act No. 2 of 2018) ESTA and sections 26 and 27 of the Labour Tenants Act, 1996 (Act No.3 of 1996) for installation of electricity as well as installation of solar panels. The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) is also providing mediation services and Legal Aid South Africa provides legal representation under the Land Rights Management Facility to farm dwellers in circumstances where landowners are refusing to consent to the Municipality and or Eskom to provide electricity.
Furthermore, the courts have ordered that it is the responsibility of Local Government through municipalities to provide all basic services to the people living, staying and working on the farms.