Ramaphosa appoints Mabuza to head land reform committee

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed an inter-ministerial committee (IMC) on land reform‚ to be chaired by Deputy President David Mabuza.

The committee is tasked with coordinating and implementing measures to accelerate the redistribution of land‚ the extension of security of tenure‚ the provision of agricultural support and the redress of spatial inequality within a broad and comprehensive land redistribution and agricultural development programme.

President Ramaphosa said the appointment of the committee is in line with his commitment‚ made earlier this year during his state of the nation address‚ to accelerate land redistribution.

The goal of this is not only to redress a grave historical injustice‚ but also to bring more producers into the agricultural sector and to make more land available for cultivation in order to boost security‚ rural development‚ poverty reduction and strengthening the economy.

The committee‚ led by Mabuza‚ comprises the following ministers:

• Minister for Planning‚ Monitoring and Evaluation in the Presidency‚ Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
• Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform‚ Maite Nkoana-Mashabane
• Minister of Agriculture‚ Forestry and Fisheries‚ Senzeni Zokwana
• Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs‚ Zweli Mkhize
• Minister of Finance‚ Nhlanhla Nene
• Minister of Human Settlements‚ Nomaindia Mfeketo
• Minister of Justice and Correctional Services‚ Michael Masutha
• Minister of Public Enterprises‚ Pravin Gordhan
• Minister of Public Works‚ Thulas Nxesi

President Ramaphosa is also expected to appoint a panel of experts soon to provide technical support to the committee as it carries out its important task of expediting land reform through all available measures‚ including expropriation without compensation.