Beneficiaries of Communal Property Associations (CPAs) in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal yesterday last week blamed the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform for failing the CPAs. Once again, training for CPA beneficiaries on how to work and manage the properties they have been given was a major concern raised during the public hearings.
The Portfolio Committee on Rural Development and Land Reform was once again advised of the training needs of CPA beneficiaries who are unable to improve their lives or utilise the properties that were given to them, which means that selling these properties becomes an attractive option as they do not foresee another way of improving their own lives. Beneficiaries blamed the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform for not assisting them with training and development, and so they suggested that training and development be mentioned as an amendment in the Bill.
Another important aspect raised by CPA beneficiaries in Madadeni, Newcastle, relates to the inefficiency of the departmental officials. CPA beneficiaries raised concerns with having to travel about 100 km a day to get to the department and still not receive any assistance when they arrive there. It was further reported that one manager is assigned to both the Vryheid and Newcastle areas, which means that the official is often overworked and unable to address the challenges raised by CPAs.
The department should thus look at assigning officials to one specific area in order for the officials to work more efficiently. The amendment which speaks to the establishment of a registrar would thus be an effective way of addressing the challenges of overworked and ineffective departmental officials.
While the CPA beneficiaries in Newcastle welcomed the proposed amendments to the Communal Property Associations Bill, the common view speaks to the needs of creating effective Departments that will be able to assist beneficiaries in improving their lives.
The Committee said it is unacceptable that beneficiaries are expected to travel long distances without receiving assistance from the department. Departments have been equipped with the necessary resources, which means it would be easier for officials to travel to the beneficiaries, instead of the beneficiaries travelling long distances. Officials in the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform were encouraged to make more effort in both reaching CPA beneficiaries and addressing the challenges they are experiencing. The department was advised to provide a report within 30 days explaining how it aims to address the challenges faced within the Newcastle CPAs.
These were the suggested amendments and comments received from the CPA beneficiaries in relation to the proposed amendments to the Communal Property Associations Bill [B12-2017]. The proposed amendments came about as a result of the challenges faced by CPAs; challenges relating to abuse of power, maladministration of CPAs, the mismanagement of funds and the capacity challenges faced by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform.
The Portfolio Committee on Rural Development and Land Reform is currently in the process of finishing the first leg of its nationwide public hearings in KwaZulu-Natal, after having held hearings in the Western, Eastern Cape and Limpopo provinces over the past few weeks. Public hearings in the rest of the country are expected to commence during the month of September.
By Felicia Lombard
21 August 2017
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