Land reform policies under review

Abstract

Welcome to the introductory issue of Umhlaba Wethu, an initiative of the Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS) at the University of the Western Cape. Umhlaba Wethu is intended to promote information sharing and dialogue around all aspects of land reform in South Africa, and create opportunities for a wide range of stakeholders to participate in policy debates. Since the launch of the official South African land reform programme in 1994, there has been intense debate around policy direction, implementation strategies and the impact of reform efforts on both the distribution of land in the country and on the livelihoods of intended beneficiaries. Much of this debate has centred around the adequacy, and reliability, of data on various aspects of the land reform programme.