Church gets R35m in first farm expropriation

February 14 2007

The first-ever farmland expropriation in South Africa will take place in the Northern Cape next month when the government takes possession of the Pniel farm.

The 25 200-hectare property is owned by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of South Africa (ELCSA).

The expropriation order came into effect on January 26 and the state will take possession of the farm on March 15.

ELCSA Bishop Johannes Ramashala on Friday described the expropriation of the farm as a "negative move from the government's side", but the church would not oppose the expropriation.

An amount of R28,4-million has been paid into the church's bank account - 80 percent of the R35,5-million the church will get.  

It was earlier reported that the church wanted R70-million.

The church was given 60 days to submit a written statement to Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs Lulama Xingwana, indicating whether they accepted the offered.

The chairperson of the Pniel Communal Property Association, Corrie Solomons, said on Tuesday they were happy about the expropriation - on condition the land was handed over to the community "as stated by the national commissioner on TV on February 1".

Susan Booysen, a political scientist at Wits, said: "I think it (the expropriation) is most significant … It (reform) is something that cannot lag forever."