Land Reform – Not-for-profit land reform organisation, Vumelana Advisory Fund, is calling on Communal Property Associations (CPAs) across the country to submit their contact details ahead of the rollout of its free CPA Support Toolkits, designed to help CPAs strengthen governance, manage their affairs more effectively and improve the management of community-owned land. This, in turn, will help address several issues that continue to impede progress in driving a progressive land reform programme in the country.
The not-for-profit organisation, which helps land reform beneficiaries put their land to productive use, is preparing to launch eight CPA Support Toolkits containing 69 practical tools designed to empower CPAs with the knowledge and practical skills needed to effectively manage their land assets. CPA representatives who submit their details will receive information about the launch of the CPA Support Toolkits and how to access the resources.
Governance challenges continue to impede progress
The initiative comes at a time when governance and operational challenges continue to affect CPAs across the country. According to the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development’s 2023/24 financial year report, 82% of the 1 700 registered CPAs in the country were found to be non-compliant with provisions of the CPA Act.
Governance challenges in land reform are not new. However, they continue to disadvantage the communities the programme seeks to empower.
Several reports, including the High-Level Panel Report (Motlanthe Report) and the Presidential Advisory Panel on Land Reform, identified key impediments to the slow progress of land reform, including limited government capacity, poor governance practices, corruption, elite capture, weak legislative frameworks, uncertainty around reform objectives, constrained budgets and a lack of adequate post-settlement support.
These factors continue to undermine the goals set out for land reform in the country.
Peter Setou, Chief Executive of the Vumelana Advisory Fund, says, “We realised that addressing the challenges faced by land reform is a collaborative effort and since Vumelana was established, we’ve seen the challenges faced by CPAs mostly emanate from governance issues.”
He acknowledges that there needs to be a shift in focus, as beneficiaries need the necessary skills, tools and resources to enable their success once land has been transferred.
Setou says practical post-transfer support remains important in helping CPAs fulfil their responsibilities and unlock the potential of transferred land. Good governance plays an important role in helping CPAs attract investment and build partnerships that can create jobs, generate income and unlock the economic potential of community-owned land.
He emphasised that CPAs are encouraged to participate in the programme, as it is free and specifically designed to enable them to effectively manage transferred land post-settlement.
Practical tools informed by CPA experiences
Since 2012, Vumelana has worked alongside CPAs and land reform beneficiaries and has gained first-hand insight into the challenges communities face in managing community-owned land. The toolkits draw on this experience and cover eight key areas, namely readiness, governance, membership, human resources, administration, property, finance and the distribution of benefits to members.
They are designed to help CPA representatives manage the day-to-day responsibilities of running their associations, strengthen governance practices and manage community-owned land more effectively. The resources include practical templates, checklists, policies, registers and worked examples that CPAs can adapt to their own circumstances.
Vumelana is also developing an online CPA Toolkit Dissemination Platform that will allow CPAs to find and download the resources they need. The platform is expected to include an AI-powered assistant to help users navigate the available tools and guidance.
Calling on all CPAs across South Africa
Vumelana is calling on CPA representatives across all provinces, including those that have not previously worked with the organisation, to submit their names and contact details ahead of the toolkit rollout.
CPA representatives can submit their names, the names of their CPAs, the names and job titles of executive committee members, their province, email addresses and mobile number to info@vumelana.org.za to receive updates about the launch and information on how to access the resources.
“Our aim is to help CPAs strengthen their governance and improve the management of transferred land to lay the groundwork for more productive land use that can benefit CPA members and the country as a whole.”
