Jacob Zuma's land holdings bill

Zuma provided further details of his proposed land reform in his State of the Nation address this week. Foreigners currently own five to seven percent of the land in South Africa. Henceforth they will only be allowed to lease such property for a period of 30 to 50 years - and they might be asked to cede land that was considered to be "strategic."

The law will restrict ownership of land to 12,000 hectares per person for "all individuals." Land in excess of the set limit will be purchased and "redistributed" by the government. The law will not have retroactive effect since that might go against the constitution, but the law could be invoked "if the land is deemed strategic," Zuma's office said.

The law will classify specific categories such as "environmentally and security sensitive lands," lands of "historic and ... cultural significance," as well as "strategic lands" defined in terms of land reform and socio-economic development. Foreign ownership will be discouraged in such areas.

The reform was aimed at ensuring food security as well as addressing inequality after more than 300 years of colonial rule and apartheid, the statement from the president's office said. White South Africans, who constitute a mere ten percent of the population in South Africa, still own 80 percent of the land 20 years after the end of apartheid.

Since 1994, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) has tried to effect a transfer of at least a third of the farmland to the non-white majority by the 'willing seller, willing buyer' scheme, but has come nowhere near its target.

Meanwhile, South Africa is still trying to come to terms with the brawl between politicians and the police during the opening session of the parliament on Friday. President Jacob Zuma announced his land holdings bill in his State of the Nation address delivered at that session.

ac/gsw (AFP, Reuters)