Dutch MP fears another Zimbabwe famine as Zuma approves amended Land Restitution Act for another five years of land claims

Dutch MP Martin Bosma issued a statement in Dutch parliament in which he expressed his deep concern over the South African government's reopening of the socalled Land Claims registers under a newly-amended Land Restitution Act, warning that the history of land-claims in which valuable farm lands were handed over to inexperienced black communities showed that 90% of the farm lands were unused and lay fallow and were not producing any food for the market within a year of the land being 'restored' to black communities. He pointed out that this same process had led to widespread and chronic famine in neighbouring Zimbabwe. He questioned why the Dutch goverment was providing financial aid for this Land Restitution programme and said that Dutch citizens should not have to pay for the creation of another famine in Southern Africa. On June 30 2014 the office of president Zuma announced that he had approved the newly amended act and that a Land Restoration Application register would open for another five years. (BOSMA STATEMENT ATTACHED WITH JPG IN DUTCH) ---------------- Statement FROM THE SA PRESIDENT'S OFFICE: SA president reopens Land Claims: assents to 'Restitution of Land Rights Amendment Act" 30 Jun 2014 -"President Jacob Zuma has, in terms of section 84(2)(a) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, assented to the Restitution of Land Rights Amendment Act."The Act will amend the Restitution of Land Rights Act of 1994 by, amongst others, amending the cut-off date for lodging a claim for restitution and to further regulate the appointment, tenure of office, remuneration and the terms of and conditions of service of judges of the Land Claims Court."The Act now provides for the re-opening the lodgment of land claims by those who missed the 31 December 1998 deadline to lodge land claims. The lodgment of land claims shall take place over a period of five years, from 30 June 2014 to 30 June 2019. Enquiries: Mac Maharaj Cell: 079 879 3203 -DS E-mail: macmaharaj@icloud.com Office of the President.