The National African Farmers’ Union (NAFU) has hit back at a proposed land ownership cap tabled by African National Congress (ANC) Chairperson, Gwede Mantashe.

South African’s were waiting with baited breath for the ANC to release practical and tangible details relating to land expropriation without compensation, following a deafening silence in the wake of president Ramaphosa’s initial announcement.

Mantashe says white landowners will have their hectares ‘capped’

In an attempt to clear the uncomfortable and uncertain air, Mantashe eventually broke the awkward stillness, announcing, amongst other things, that private land ownership will be limited to 12 000 hectares under the reform plan.

South Africans, landowners especially, were looking for answers – but the land-cap proposed by Mantashe has done little to alleviate fears of further economic instability.

In fact, most organisations representing the interests of the agricultural sector have blasted Mantashe for his lack of foresight. According to News24, the usual suspects – Freedom Front Plus and Agri SA – were the first parties to dismiss the ANC chairperson’s rhetoric as unreasonable.

‘It is not going to work’ – Black farmers’ union

Those organisations were later joined by the National African Farmers’ Union (NAFU), who have also rubbished Mantashe’s proposal – labelling it as irresponsible and flawed.

Motsepe Matlala, president of NAFU, has argued that the introduction of a broad-based land-cap policy will threaten food security and hurt the local economy.

Matlala maintained that the limiting of land ownership is sure to lower production in the South African agricultural sector, saying:

“From a practical and economical point of view, it will not work. You have for example, commodities that require large amounts of land.”

The president of NAFU went on to explain that a few farmers, operating 50 to 100 thousand hectares of farmland, were producing 14 million tons of maize yearly. This production bolstered local resources, but also added to the economy through exports.

Land-cap problematic for all South Africans

According to Matlala, a land-cap on successful farming operations such as these would have a detrimental effect on all South Africans, regardless of colour.

Matlala added that the proposed land ownership regulations have not been properly thought out by the ruling party, saying: