Cape Town - Government has had to pump
money into almost 600 farms in distress from April 1, 2010, to
December 31 last year, Land Reform Minister Gugile Nkwinti said on
Monday.
Replying in writing to a parliamentary
question from an opposition MP, Nkwinti said R1.3bn was spent on
helping 411 distressed farmers by April last year. By December, this
amount had more than doubled.
"For the period 1 April 2011 to 31
December 2011, a total of 595 projects were assisted, including the
farms that were assisted during the 2010-2011 financial year,"
Nkwinti said.
"In total, financial assistance to
the amount of R3 585 23614.79 was provided."
This included financial and technical
assistance in the form of contracted strategic partners, mentors, and
in some cases service providers to render services, such as water
reticulation.
Nkwinti has acknowledged that the state
will not achieve its aim of transferring 30% of white-owned
agricultural land to emerging black farmers by 2014.
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