Meet Ramaphosa’s new 10-person land reform advisory panel

15 minutes ago

President Ramaphosa has announced the names of his 10-person advisory panel on land reform.

The president announced the establishment of the panel when he unveiled the state’s stimulus package on Friday morning in Pretoria.

“[The] advisory panel on land reform that will support the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Land Reform chaired by Deputy President David Mabuza,” he said.

Ramaphosa said the ten members of the panel are “eminently qualified by virtue of academic background, professional experience, social entrepreneurship or activism related to the agricultural economy and land policy”.

“The panel is expected to provide perspectives on land policy in the context of persisting land inequality, unsatisfactory land and agrarian reform and uneven urban land development.

“The panel is mandated to review, research and suggest models for government to implement a fair and equitable land reform process that redresses the injustices of the past, increases agricultural output, promotes economic growth and protects food security.

The members of the panel are 

• Dr Vuyokazi (Vuyo) Mahlati, a member of the National Planning Commission and president of the African Farmers Association of South Africa. (Chairperson)
• Professor Ruth Hall, a researcher and professor at the University of the Western Cape’s Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies.
• Professor Mohammed Karaan, Professor in Agricultural Economics at Stellenbosch University.
• Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, whom according to the presidency is a “a lawyer, public speaker and author whose current work for the Legal Resources Centre and Johannesburg Bar spans public law, labour law and competition.”
• Bulelwa Mabasa, an attorney with expertise in land restitution and land reform.
• Dr Thandi Ngcobo, CEO and founder of the Dr J L Dube Institute of the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
• Agricultural economist Wandile Sihlobo, head of research at the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa and an independent agricultural economic advisor to the Afgrain Food Group.
• Daniel Kriek, a Free State farmer and President of AgriSA.
• Thato Moagi, a young emerging farmer and entrepreneur.
• Nick Serfontein, chairperson of the Sernick Group and 2016 Free State Farmer of the Year and Mentor of the Year.