LAND REDISTRIBUTION IN KWAZULU-NATAL: AN ANALYSIS AND COMPARISON OF FARMLAND TRANSACTIONS IN 1997 AND 1998

Abstract

This article presents the results of a census survey of farmland transactions recorded in the province of KwaZulu-Natal during 1998, and compares the results with those from a previous survey conducted in 1997. Data drawn from Deeds of Transfer were stratified and analysed by race, gender and mode of land acquisition. The results indicate that 18885 hectares of commer cial farmland transferred to disadvantaged owners in KwaZulu-Natal during 1998. This implies an overall rate of redistribution of 0,35 per cent, down from the 1997 estimate of 0,43 per cent. As in 1997, there were marked differences in both the quantity and quality of farmland transferred by different modes of redistribution. In 1997, private purchases accounted for 46 per cent of the total men redistributed, and for 73 per cent of the total market value of farms purchased by disadvantaged entrants. In 1998, these proportions increased to 74 and 91 per cent respectively—due mainly to n substantial cut in the number of transactions financed with government grants. Once again, farmland purchased with government grants wm of much lower quality than that financed privately. In contrast to 1997, disadvantaged women were poorly represented in land transactions resulting from bequests and cash purchases, and remained poorly represented in transactions financed with mortgage loans. In aggregate, they gained less than half of the area gained by disadvantaged men, and—after excluding inheritance transactions—gained less than half of the land value (wealth) gained by their male pees.