Die Suid-Afrikaanse grondvraagstuk - is daar 'n oplossing? : navorsings- en oorsigartikel : grondberaad

• Published in: Tydskrif vir geesteswetenskappe 2012-12, Vol.52 (4), p.552-565
• Main Author: Changuion, Louis
• Format: Article
• Language: Afrikaans
• Subjects: Commercial farmer; Constitution; Deelboerdery; Gebiedskeiding; Green paper; Groenskrif; Grondhervorming; Grondonteiening; Grondverdeling; Huurpag; Integrasie; Land distribution; Land expropriation; Land issue; Land reform; Land tenure; Land-lease; Nasionalisering; Restitution; Segregation; Sharecropping; Titelakte
• ISSN: 0041-4751

Die debat oor grondhervorming kan slegs sinvol plaasvind wanneer die historiese verloop van grondverdeling in Suid-Afrika in ag geneem word. Die owerhede het egter deur die jare foute gemaak met die toepassing van die beleid van skeiding. Hulle het gefaal in hulle pogings om 'n vreedsame skeiding te bewerkstellig. Die probleem van regverdige grondverdeling het eintlik meer kompleks geword as wat dit ooit was, omdat die bevolking drasties toegeneem het en die grond nie. Die huidige regering het reeds verskeie pogings aangewend om die probleem te probeer oplos. In 2008 is 'n grondonteieningswetgewing voorgestel. Kort daarna is die moontlikheid om landbougrond as 'n nasionale bate te verklaar, oorweeg en daarna is 40% deelboerdery voorgestel. Dit alles het groot teenkanting ontlok. Die nuutste poging is 'n groenskrif aangaande grondhervorming wat ter tafel is. Hierdie dokument stel onder andere voor dat vir diegene (swartmense) wat nie kan bekostig om grond te koop nie die geleentheid geskep moet word om dit van die staat te huur. Kommersiële boere sal egter hulle eienaarskap behou maar hulle moet bereid wees om 'n sekere deel van hulle grond af te staan. The South African Land Issue - is there a solution? The current debate on land reform cannot take place meaningfully without taking into account the historical course of land distribution in South Africa. After having studied the history of land tenure in South Africa, one arrives at the conclusion that land tenure and the segregation of the two main population groups were to a large extent unavoidable. The unequal distribution of land between black and white can be traced back to the earliest years of contact and the different, irreconcilable views of land tenure of that time. Judgement of the events of a hundred years or more ago cannot take place from a modern point of view. Yet, over the years, the authorities made mistakes in the application of the policy of segregation which resulted in friction and conflicts and action by the authorities which the black nations perceived as humiliating. The authorities failed in their efforts to effect peaceful segregation. We need to find a solution to this problem. There are lessons to be learned from what happened in the past and there are lessons to be learned from what happened in other countries where land reform policies were applied. Ever since the current government came into power various suggestions have been made to try to solve the land issue. From the in