EKURHULENI TO DISTRIBUTE LAND TO EMERGING FARMERS

The Executive Mayor of Ekurhuleni Clr Mzwandile Masina will release over 1 000 hectares which is more than 50 farms at a value of R120 million to local smallholder and subsistence farmers through the City of Ekurhuleni’s Rapid Land Release Programme.

The programme was announced in the State of the City Address earlier this year and is in line with the African National Congress (ANC) 54th National Conference resolution of Land Distribution.

Masina is the Chairperson of the ANC in Ekurhuleni and the City’s Executive Mayor. Ekurhuleni is the only Metropolitan the ANC still governs in Gauteng after the 2016 Local Government Elections.

The advertisement of the tender calling for prospective beneficiaries of the 56 farms has been advertised on the City of Ekurhuleni’s website and can be accessed here. The request for proposal is to lease council-owned agricultural farms categorised as social farms 5- 10 hectares, small-scale 10-30 hectares, developmental commercial 30-100 hectares and establishment commercial farms which are more than 100 hectares for a period of 9 years and 11 months.

An Agriculture Summit to discuss out how the City will use Agriculture to boast its economy was supposed to start yesterday and scheduled for the 7th & 8th October. However, this has been postponed and a new date will be announced in due course.

The Mayor tweeted yesterday that “This week we are focusing on driving @MYANC Resolutions on Land Redistribution. We will soon be launching digital campaign to increase awareness amongst Youth! #LetsFarm” @mzwandileMasina

The Mayor also posted a picture posing with the Black Land First (BLF) President Andile Mngxitama who is know for advocating for radical policies like Land Expropriation without Compensation.

The Rapid Land Release Programme is expected to improve food security, increase tax and revenue base for the City, create job opportunities, expand food export and attract new investments in the City.

The City’s agriculture development and support programme, of which the rapid land release is part thereof covers five key elements that will transform and grow the agriculture and agro-processing sector in Ekurhuleni as farmers will be assisted with access to Council-owned land, technical support, skills development, access to funding and access to markets and off-take agreements.

The City is in a process of finalizing economic partnerships agreements with private sector companies, government agencies, development financial institutions (DFIs), industry bodies, farmers’ associations, research institutions and training organisations.

About R14 million has already been budgeted in the current financial year for services of researchers and economists who will provide support to the programme.