Parliament, Wednesday, 30 September 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Land Reform and Rural Development today expressed its deep dissatisfaction with the progress reported by the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development, the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights and the Office of the Valuer-General in implementing recommendations contained in the committee's 2024 and 2025 Budgetary Review and Recommendation Reports (BRRRs).
The concerns were raised during the committee’s consideration of departmental responses to recommendations adopted by Parliament.
The committee noted with concern that several recommendations requiring urgent intervention remain at the planning stage, despite repeated oversight findings and parliamentary directives. Committee members were particularly concerned by recurring responses indicating that the department “support the recommendation”, without demonstrating measurable progress or tangible outcomes.
A major concern relates to the slow pace of land restitution and labour tenant claim settlements. In the 2024 BRRR, the committee called for increased funding to ensure that all pre-1998 land claims are settled within five years and for dedicated resources to settle outstanding labour tenant applications in line with court orders. Two years later, progress reports continue to reference future legislative amendments, ongoing consultations and engagements with National Treasury rather than concrete results.
The committee also raised concerns regarding delays in the implementation of the restitution reform agenda, including the continued postponement of legislation intended to strengthen land restitution and address historical backlogs. The department reported that the Restitution Amendment Bill is only expected to be tabled in Parliament in 2027, raising concerns about whether existing commitments to restitution beneficiaries will be met within a reasonable timeframe.
Committee members were equally dissatisfied with the continued challenges facing Communal Property Associations (CPAs). While the department reported the appointment of acting registrars and plans to establish a fully resourced CPA Office, the committee noted that longstanding governance, accountability and beneficiary participation concerns remain unresolved. The committee had specifically called for an assessment of the viability of the CPA model and an evaluation of strategic partnerships to ensure that communities derive meaningful socio-economic benefits from restituted land.
The committee further questioned the slow pace of reforms relating to land tenure. Although the department indicated that legislation on equitable access to land and communal land tenure has been incorporated into its strategic plans, Parliament remains concerned that legislative promises have yet to translate into measurable outcomes for labour tenants, farm dwellers and rural communities whose tenure rights remain insecure.
Members also expressed concern over unresolved governance, financial management and accountability weaknesses highlighted in the 2025 BRRR. The committee had recommended robust interventions to address recurring weaknesses in invoice processing, internal controls, irregular expenditure and consequence management. While a number of internal structures and systems have reportedly been established, the committee stressed that governance improvements must be demonstrated through clean administration, improved audit outcomes and reduced financial misconduct.
The committee was particularly concerned about the number of critical senior management vacancies that continue to affect institutional stability and oversight. While progress has been reported in filling some positions, a number of key leadership posts remain outstanding across the department and its entities. The committee underscored that effective oversight, service delivery and financial accountability cannot be achieved without stable leadership structures.
The committee further noted that recommendations dating back to the 2024 BRRR relating to the Agricultural Land Holding Account, the autonomy of the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights, the audit of all Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy farms and the strengthening of the Office of the Valuer-General remain work in progress. Of particular concern is that important reforms continue to depend on future legislation, consultations and funding discussions rather than implementation on the ground.
While the committee acknowledged progress in some areas, including the filling of certain senior management posts, the development of a land audit implementation framework, improvements in governance structures and efforts to strengthen valuation capacity within the Office of the Valuer-General, committee members concluded that overall progress remains below expectations considering the urgency of South Africa’s land reform, restitution and rural development challenges.
The committee therefore resolved to intensify oversight over the implementation of BRRR recommendations and will require detailed progress reports with measurable targets, timelines and outcomes. Parliament expects recommendations adopted through the BRRR process to result in tangible improvements in service delivery, accelerated land reform, stronger governance and meaningful benefits for communities waiting for restitution, tenure security and rural development support.
“The committee cannot be satisfied with commitments and plans alone. South Africans affected by land dispossession, insecure tenure and underdeveloped rural economies require real progress, concrete delivery and visible outcomes. We expect the department and its entities to demonstrate greater urgency in implementing Parliament’s recommendations and addressing longstanding challenges in the land reform programme.”
The committee further requested the department to report at its next meeting on the signed joint venture agreement between King Misuzulu and NYCE, a U.S. based social impact real estate platform to develop a 2 500-acre innovation hub in KwaZulu-Natal.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON LAND REFORM AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT, MR ALBERT MNCWANGO.
For media inquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Liaison Officer:
Name: Sureshinee Govender (Ms)
Cell: 081 704 1109
E-mail: sugovender@parliament.gov.za
Arrange a tour