Land reform progress has been far too slow, says land reform and rural development minister Mzwanele Nyhontso.
He was speaking during the handover of 58 title deeds to land reform beneficiaries and farm dwellers in Bethlehem, Free State, on Monday.
“For too long our land reform and rural development department programmes, specifically the strategic land acquisition and land development support programmes, have moved at the pace of a tortoise in a race that requires the speed of a cheetah,” he said.
He was accompanied by deputy minister in the Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli, who said the handover was an important step in securing tenure for communities who live and work on land.
The recipients of the title deeds include farmers whose land has been transferred under the state land transfer programme of the department and farm dwellers under the Extension of Security of Tenure Act.
At the event, 48 of the title deeds were for farmers who leased departmental farms for more than 10 years, and 10 were allocated to farm dwellers.
“We have farmers who have the patience and the skill, but they are still being suffocated by red tape and administrative bureaucracy,” Nyhontso said.
Many beneficiaries had settled on land years ago but were still waiting for basic infrastructure and support promised by the government.
According to the minister, land acquisition has been hampered by inflated land prices, lengthy legal challenges and inefficiencies in the state.
“Quite frankly, a bureaucracy that seems more interested in filling forms than in fixing farms.”
Nyhontso described delays in processing land applications as “not just an administrative failure but an economic crime against our people”.
“We are not just looking for land but productive land. We want to ensure the land we acquire remains a national asset that contributes to the GDP and puts food on the table.”
Nyhontso also warned that land without proper post-settlement support sets beneficiaries up for failure.
“Land without support is a burden, not a blessing. I have heard too many stories where a farmer is given 500ha but not one litre of diesel or a single bag of seed. We cannot set our people up for failure and then wonder why.”
One of the beneficiaries, Nkedi Rapetsoa, who received the title deed to the 720ha Ruby Farm on behalf of her family, said the moment was deeply emotional.
In a video shared on Facebook, Rapetsoa said her family were long-term farm dwellers who intend to use the land to grow their livestock and farm productively.
“We have been living on the farm most of our lives. I was born there. My grandfather was born there,” she said. “Now finally our tenure rights have been secured. I am so overwhelmed. I feel very happy.”
Mhlauli said the programme was not symbolic but aimed at ensuring land reform translates into real economic participation.
“The handover of title deeds represents far more than a legal process. It represents security. It represents opportunity. And it represents a decisive step toward correcting the injustices of our past while building a more inclusive and productive future.”
She said the government was clear that land reform must include support for sustainable land use.
“Beneficiaries must be empowered to farm, to build, to invest, and to create livelihoods for their families and communities. Land must become a productive asset that drives growth, food security and local economic development.”
She said the work is part of broader structural reforms under Operation Vulindlela, a joint initiative of the Presidency and National Treasury aimed at accelerating economic growth and inclusive development.
“One of the key priorities within this reform agenda is spatial integration and housing, including clearing the backlog of title deeds and improving access to secure land ownership.”
Mhlauli acknowledged that challenges remain, particularly in post-settlement support, governance, access to finance, infrastructure and market access.
“Government is committed to working with beneficiaries, communal property associations, traditional leaders and all stakeholders to ensure that land reform succeeds,” she said.
In a March 2025 parliamentary reply to a question, the minister of human settlements said at the start of the title deeds campaign in October 2023 there were 95,638 unissued title deeds held by municipalities and provinces.
By March 2025, 65,952 title deeds had been issued, representing a 69% success rate over 16 months.
The minister said the remaining backlog related largely to title deeds that cannot be registered due to planning and compliance failures, including houses built on unproclaimed land, lack of bulk infrastructure, illegal sales, family disputes and untraceable beneficiaries.
Between 2025 and 2030, the department plans to unlock 368,000 blocked title deeds through Operation Vulindlela by addressing incomplete environmental and spatial planning requirements.
TimesLIVE
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