Volume II - The Northern Cape Provincial Spatial Development ...

Northern Cape PSDF
Volume 2
Office of the Premier &
Department of Rural Development & Land Reform
115
December 2011
The Vaalharts area in particular is suitable for pecan nuts, only 4 001 ha is harvested in
Vaalharts. The WARD project has proposed an area of land that consists of 83 ha at the
Vaalharts area, and NCEDA is to facilitate the acquisition of that land.
Overall, it can be said that considerable progress has been made in terms of land reform in
Namaqualand since 1994. One of the major achievements has been the development of a clear
vision, comprehensive framework and specific institutional mechanisms for land reform in the
area. This has contributed substantially to the sequencing and relatively smooth implementation
of the program. Unlike most other parts of the country, Namaqualand has seen local government
playing a key role in the design and the implementation of the process, particularly through the
inclusion of land matters in their Integrated Development Plans.
In 2002, an innovative R230 million table‐grape empowerment project was signed on 500 ha along
the Orange River near Upington. It is the largest BEE transaction in the South African agricultural
sector, and includes role‐players such as the Industrial Development Corporation, the Black
Management Forum Investment company and agricultural group Karsten Boerdery 44 . Karsten
group head, Piet Karsten sees the venture could emerge as a model for land reform and rural
development as it embraces both empowerment and community involvement 45 .
The Northern Cape Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALR), the
national Department of Water Affairs, Orange River Cellars and the Blocuso Trust (made up of 400
beneficiaries from three communities near Keimoes) have teamed up in a private‐public
partnership that aims to bring greater numbers into ownership of vineyards. With the private
company supplying vinestock and agreeing to buy the grapes, the two departments put up R21‐
million in funding and the project is on course to reap its first harvest in 2011. Shares in Orange
River Cellars will be issued commensurate with the size of the grape harvest delivered to the
company. The DALR has also set aside R7.1‐million for the purchase of land for emerging wine
farmers in 2010. The five‐year plan is to have 780 hectares of vines planted with a projected yield
of 25 550 metric tons.
This joint land reform venture is called Keboes Fruit Farm (Pty) – Raap en Skraap and is located
220 km from Upington in the direction of Onseepkans. It empowers people financially, but more
importantly, empowers people to empower themselves. This is done by finding the fine balance
between productivity, social accountability and creating opportunities for people to grow. It also
includes social development programs such as AIDS awareness programs and literacy classes,
framing techniques etc 46 .
The multimillion Rand investment funded by Karsten Farms Group (50% share), BMFI, a Black
Empowerment Company (27%) and the Workers’ Trust (23%). The workers’ shares will be
warehoused in a trust operated by the government‐run Industrial Development Corporation for a
period of 10 years during which time the members must pay for the shares registered to them.
They will finance this by government land grants or through dividends received as shareholders.
44
Karsten Farms (Pty) Limited (Karsten or the company) is the parent company of the largest table grape exporter
in South Africa. In addition to grapes, Karsten produces dates, apples, melons and citrus on a total 1 527
hectares. The Karsten Group is also heavily involved in a project to produce substantial amounts of biodiesel
from oil seeds, harvested from desert plants cultivated on large tracts of desert land.
45
http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/print‐version/r230m‐tablegrape‐empowerment‐deal‐announced‐2002‐11‐01
‐ accessed on 22 September 2011.
46
http://www.karsten.co.za/framework/empowerment‐keboes‐farms.php ‐ accessed on 22 September 2011.
Dennis Moss Partnership