PRESS RELEASE

Monday, 28 November 2005

LUTZVILLE LAND FORUM:
LAND CLAIMS COMMISSION NOT HONOURING THE AGREEMENT

In what is regarded by the farming community as a watershed rural claims case in the Western Cape, the Lutzville Land Forum this week expressed their dismay and disappointment at the latest actions of the Western Cape Regional Claims Commission in not redeeming their pledge to the community of Lutzville.

The land claims process of the Ebenhaeser community in Lutzville has been a long and complicated process, and in March this year the state signed a R100 million land claims settlement, the largest in the Western Cape, with the Ebenhaeser community. The claim involves 53 privately owned vineyards farms of more than 1500 hectares.

The parties agreed that the final conclusion of the land claim must be achieved and implemented in a manner that will ensure the successful long-term social and economic development of the whole community.

However, in most recent developments valuers of the state are evaluating agricultural land in the Lutzville region, despite agreements between the Regional Claims Commission and the Lutzville Land Forum to enter into discussions with the Forum before embarking on actions relating to the acquisition or development of land in Lutzville.

The Lutzville Land Forum this week expressed their utter disappointment in the actions of the Land Claims Commission after they appointed state assessors to evaluate only six farms in Lutzville.

Lutzville Land Forum chairperson, Mr. Bertie Conradie, says, "In the finalization of the process, we, the land owners of Lutzville, are committed to a holistic and sustainable plan that will ensure the optimal develpment of all the people of Lutzville and Ebenhaeser."

Conradie said that the Lutzville Land Forum have publicly pronounced their commitment to consultation, to constructive debate and discussions.

However, the latest actions of the Regional Claims Commissioner, Ms Beverley Jansen, is in contradiction to the agreement, in which she repeatedly assured land owners that she would enter into discussions with them, prior to any further actions with regard to the land claims process. These actions are counter-productive, and not consistent to the process of land reform, as agreed between the state and organized agriculture. In our endeavour to attain this, both parties must be prepared to work together.

ENDS

Issued by: Agri Wes-Cape

On behalf of: Lutzville Land Forum

Media enquiries: Hélène Rossouw
082 771 8834
helene.rossouw@kingsley.co.za

Maandag, 28 November 2005

LUTZVILLE GRONDFORUM:
GRONDEISE KOMMISSIE DOEN NIE OOREENKOMS GESTAND NIE

In wat die landbou gemeenskap as 'n waterskeiding landelike eis in die Wes-Kaap beskou, het die Lutzville Grondforum vandeesweek hul ontsteltenis en teleurstelling uitgespreek oor die nuutste optrede van di Wes-Kaapse Grondeise Kommissie deurdat hulle nie hul onderneming aan die gemeenskap van Lutzville gestand doen nie.

Die grondeise proses van die Ebenhaeser gemeenskap in Lutzville was 'n lang en gekompliseerde proses, en in Maart vanjaar het die staat 'n R100 miljoen grondeise skikking met die Ebenhaeser gemeenskap onderteken - die grootste in die Wes-Kaap. Die eis betrek 53 privaatbesit wingerdplase van meer as 1 500 hektaar.

Die partye het ooreengekom dat die finale afloop van die grondeis afgehandel en geïmplementeer moet word op 'n wyse wat die suksesvolle lang termyn sosiale en ekonomiese ontwikkeling van die hele gemeenskap sal verseker.

In die nuutste verwikkelinge is staatswaardeerders besig met evaluasies van landbougrond in die Lutzville omgewing, desnietaanstaande ooreenkomste tussen die Grondeise Streekkommissie en die Lutzville Grondforum ingevolge waarvan die Kommissie met die Grondforum in gesprek sal tree voor hulle voortgaan met aksies ten opsigte van die verkryging of ontwikkeling van grond in Lutzville.

Die Lutzville Grondforum het vandeesweek hul teleurstelling uitgespreek in die optrede van die Grondeise Kommissie nadat hulle staatswaardeerders aangestel het om slegs ses plase in Lutzville te waardeer.

Die Lutzville Grondforum voorsitter, mnr Bertie Conradie, sê "In die afloop van die proses, is ons, die grondeienaars van Lutzville, toegewy tot 'n holistiese en volhoubare plan wat die optimale ontwikkeling van al die mense van Lutzville en Ebenhaeser sal verseker."

Conradie het gesê die Lutzville Grondforum het nog altyd hul toewyding tot konsultasie, tot konstruktiewe debat en besprekings bekend gemaak.

Die nuutste optrede van die Grondeise Streekkommissaris, Me Beverley Jansen, is in teenstelling met die ooreenkoms, waarin sy herhaaldelik grondeienaars verseker het dat sy met hulle in gesprek sal tree voor hulle oorgaan tot enige verdere optrede in die grondeise proses. Hierdie aksies is teenproduktief, en strydig met die grondhervormingsproses, soos ooreengekom tussen die staat en georganiseerde landbou.
Agri Wes-Kaap hoof uitvoerende bestuurder, Carl Opperman, het gesê die proses van grondrestitusie is 'n geleentheid vir alle partye om hul welwillendheid en toewyding te demonstreer om grondhervorming in plek te sit sonder om kommersiële landbou te destabiliseer. In ons strewe om dit te bereik, moet beide partye bereid wees om saam te werk.

EINDE

Uitgereik deur: Agri Wes-Kaap

Namens: Lutzville Grondforum

Media enquiries: Hélène Rossouw
082 771 8834
helene.rossouw@kingsley.co.za

Kontak die Lutzville Grond Forum Lede by lutzgrond@kingsley.co.za

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