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Politics and legalities of land reform unpacked in UFS/IRR webinar

11 February 2021 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Pixabay

The Department of Political Studies and Governance at the University of the Free State (UFS) hosted a webinar with the South African Institute for Race Relations (IRR) on The Land Question in South Africa: Challenges and Prospects. This comes after South Africans had until 31 January 2021 to provide commentary on the Land Exploration Bill.

Experts from both the UFS and IRR delivered presentations on many of the challenges facing the land expropriation process and suggested it may not be as straightforward as the political fraternity would like it to be. The discussion was moderated by Prof Hussein Solomon, academic head of the Department of Political Studies and Governance at UFS. The webinar took place on Tuesday 3 February 2021.

Government failures hinder effective land reform implementation

The implementation of the Land Reform Bill is not straightforward, with various legal, political and social aspects to consider. Dr Ina Gouws, lecturer in Political Studies, mentioned in her presentation that the expression ‘smudge’ refers to “the management of policy implementation in South Africa which has been marred by an administration causing a massively smeared landscape, where little progress has been made towards growth (economic) or development. This ‘smudge’ also exists where land reform is to be planned, developed and implemented’’.

Dr Gouws added that land reform is necessary and “when implemented effectively has the potential to add to growth and development”.

How will land reform impact property rights?

One of the burning questions around the Land Reform Bill is whether property owners would forfeit their rights when the bill has been passed through parliament.

Dr Anthea Jeffrey, Head of Special Research at the IRR said it was discussed what the Bill would hold in store for property owners if there were no compensation if their land were expropriated. Dr Jeffrey stated that “the nil (zero) compensation under clause 12/3 of the Bill is a situation where the state plans to take ownership, in other words, it is envisaging a direct expropriation. But this clause refers to land only and raises questions about improvements that have been made to the land, such as buildings, shopping centres and mine shafts”.

Dire economic state of traditional communal land

Prof Phillippe Burger, Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the UFS, said the webinar was a platform to engage over land reform as “it doesn’t get the attention that it should”. Prof Burger’s discussion was on The Forgotten: South Africa’s Former Bantustans today. He said land reform in South Africa focused on two issues the skew racial profile of commercial farm ownership, and the tenure rights of communal land under traditional leadership. “Communal land is actually the land of the former homelands or Bantustans of apartheid South Africa,” said Prof Burger

He said the dilapidated economic conditions of these former homelands could be measured by the number of pit toilets in schools in these areas. “The map of pit toilets basically traces out the map of the old homelands,” he said.

Watch: Recording of webinar here:

News Archive

UFS student makes breakthrough in the application of nanorobots

2005-04-21

A student from the University of the Free State (UFS) has made a ground-breaking discovery in the field of microbiology by uncovering a series of new compounds that may in future be used to lubricate man-made nanorobots.

Mr Olihile Sebolai, a full-time student at the UFS’s Department of Microbial- Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, made this discovery while working on his M Sc-study on yeast.

With this discovery Mr Sebolai will also be awarded six prestigious prizes during this week’s autumn graduation ceremony at the UFS. This university has recognised this exceptional achievement as a build-up to the celebration of national Science and Technology week next month.

Mr Sebolai’s dissertation on the yeast genus Saccharomycopsis Schionning has been published in an accredited international journal of repute.

“Words cannot describe how excited I am. I never expected to receive such recognition for my studies. I am humbled by all of this,” said Mr Sebolai.

The Lipid Biotechnology Group at the UFS recently discovered that some yeasts produce their own water-propelled capsules in which they are transported. These capsules have different shapes and resemble among others miniature flying saucers, hats with razor sharp brims etc. “In order to function properly, parts of the capsules are oiled with prehistoric lubricants – lubricants that are produced by yeasts and that probably existed for many millions of years as yeasts developed,” said Mr Sebolai.

According to Mr Sebolai these capsules are so small that approximately 300 can be fitted into the full-stop at the end of a sentence and are therefore invisible to the naked eye.

“With my studies I discovered many new compounds that resemble these prehistoric lubricants. These lubricants may in future be used to lubricate man-made nanorobots and are similar in size compared to yeast capsules,” said Mr Sebolai. The nanorobots are used to perform tasks in places that are invisible to the naked eye and could one day be used, among others, to clean up human arteries.

Mr Sebolai has been interested in the subject of Micro technology since he was at RT Mokgopa High School in Thaba ‘Nchu. “I was specifically interested in the many possible applications the subject has – in the industry, as well as in medicine,” said Mr Sebolai.

His next goal is to successfully complete his Ph D-degree.

The prizes that will be awarded to Mr Sebolai this week include:

Best Magister student at the UFS (Senate medal and prize);

Best Magister student in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science and Dean’s medal at the same faculty;

The Andries Brink – Sasol-prize for the best M Sc dissertation in Microbiology;

The JP van der Walt prize for best M Sc dissertation in yeast science;

The Chris Small prize for an outstanding Master’s dissertation; and

Honorary colours awarded by the UFS Student Representative Council

Media release

Issued by: Lacea Loader

Media Representative

Tel: (051) 401-2584

Cell: 083 645 2454

E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za

20 April 2005

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