Revival of the mass struggle for land and agrarian reform in South Africa

LANDLESS PEOPLES MOVEMENT OF SOUTH AFRICA AND LA VIA CAMPESINA

Revival of the mass struggle for land and agrarian reform in South Africa

Media invitation

The Landless Peoples Movement which is the organization of people who have borne the brunt of apartheid, forced removals from the fields and homes, noted that since the election of democratic government two decades ago, less had been done to overhaul land and agrarian reform in South Africa.

To date: Poverty on rural areas has increased dramatically and conditions of farm workers are day-by-day becoming worse than ever.

Fewer hectares that are redistributed are not answers to our food production since they are unproductive, no water, no fencing, broken windmills and they are poisoned by excess use of chemical fertilizers.

Even the 2011 Green Paper on Land Reform does not yield concrete and practical solutions to our challenges of accessing productive land for Food Sovereignty.
Also, we have noted that Government has failed to implement the program of informal settlement in-situ in instead there is an excuse of dolomite. The basic service such as water, electricity and sanitation is not delivered to the poor.

LPM, member of the International Movement of Peasants, La Via Campesina, is inviting the media to a press conference in Johannesburg, where together with friend civil society organizations and La Via Campesina leaders will launch the revival of the struggle, after a moment of apparent silence. The Landless Peoples Movement will also talk on the Small Scale Farmers real and sustainable solutions to Climate Change, towards the 17th Conference of Parties, in Durban late November and December 2011.

Date of the press conference: September 16th
Time: 10h
Place: Lake view Airport Lodge (24 Geldenhuys Road – Bonaero Park, 1622 – Gauteng South Africa)
Contacts for media:

1. Musa Mabasa
Tel.: +27 (0) 725698509
E-mail: sonnyadministration@webmail.co.za

2. Edwin Mohlahlo,
Tel.: +27 (0) 732023336
E-mail: edwithagriculture@webmail.co.za or landmovesa@gmail.com

3. Boaventura Monjane
Tel:. +27 (0) 736509229
E-mail: boa.monjane@viacampesina.org