Land activists from churches, communities and civil society have called on government to work with communities to develop a new, more ambitious land reform programme that can ensure that all landless households have access to land, sustainable livelihood and food security.

Last week, the South African Council of Churches (SACC) brought together more than 50 representatives of faith- and community-based land organizations at Kempton Park to share their experiences and to explore new ways of advancing the struggle for land justice in South Africa. The South African Human Rights Commission was also represented at the meeting.

Many participants expressed their disappointment with the lack of progress achieved in implementing the resolutions adopted at the National Land Summit convened by government in July 2005. Their frustration was exacerbated by the failure of Department of Land Affairs officials to take part in the meeting, despite an earlier commitment to report to delegates.

The meeting heard from a number of communities that have taken their own initiatives to combat poverty and hunger through organic farming and permaculture programmes, "Buy Local" campaigns to develop local markets and recycling/reuse schemes that make more efficient use of natural resources.

Participants also shared their views on the need for more aggressive land redistribution and land reform policies that address the needs of poor and landless households. The meeting reached consensus on a resolution that highlighted five key areas of concern:

• The vision of government's land reform programme - Participants asked if it takes adequate account of objectives such as reconciliation, reconstruction and industrial strategy. "The primary criterion for assessing the success of land and rural development policy in South Africa must be the extent to which it enables ordinary people to assert control over their own lives and to secure freedom from want," the meeting agreed. It called for "more ambitious targets for land reform and redistribution" to ensure that land ownership patterns fully reflect racial demographics by 2020.
• The economic and policy context within which land reform is carried out - Participants asked what forms of land tenure would provide stable, long term access to land, how land could be recognized as an asset and used to enhance the wellbeing of tenants, and how to ensure just distribution of land in a globalised economy.
• The role of government institutions in the struggle for land justice - Whilst applauding the work done by some public agencies, the meeting felt that more needed to be done to accelerate the pace of land reform, especially with respect to those who depend directly on the land for their livelihoods, and to enable Chapter Nine institutions to protect the rights of farm dwellers and labour tenants. "Churches have a responsibility to monitor the work of the Land Claims Commission to ensure that it completes its work timeously ... [and] to partner with Chapter Nine institutions to expose and bring to justice those who trample the dignity of people or misuse resources in the quest for personal gain."
• The need for advocacy to change policy and practice - The meeting called on churches, NGOs and communities to engage in critical review of existing legislation and to lobby relevant government ministries and institutions to raise concerns about poor service delivery. Participants also asked churches to be alert to opportunities to engage traditional leadership around the implementation of land reform, to create platforms for the voices of landless people, and to pay particular attention to gender discrimination in the allocation of land and resources. The conference urged government to "halt the eviction of people living on farms until such time as the provisions of ESTA have been reviewed and an alternative dispensation has been developed." It also called for a moratorium in the sale of land to foreigners.
• The need for theological reflection on land as a gift from God - In this context, delegates commended the work being done by the Church Land Programme and encouraged the SACC to draw other institutions, including academic institutions, into this initiative.

The conference also appealed to the SACC to seek meetings with the Ministers of Land Affairs and Justice, the Commissioner of Police and the South African Human Rights Commission to address a number of the concerns raised in the resolution. The report of the land conference will be considered at the SACC's triennial National Conference next month.

For more information, contact: Canon Luke Pato, (083 357 3961)