Land Reform

Land reform in South Africa is drawing increasing attention from local and international quarters as individuals, corporations, state and private entities seek to demystify a rather contentious topic.

Land restitution, redistribution and reform cannot be discussed in isolation from the country’s legacy issues and the consequent vulnerability to misinterpretation of land access rights and eligibility criteria. Additionally, poor interpretation of legislative changes has often marked the landscape, leaving most people unclear as to what their rights are or how historical wrongs might be redressed.

Matters concerning land impact all corners of society, including financial institutions, farmers, landowners, property developers, land claimants and communities. They face issues such as uncertainty in the changing landscape, concerns over security of tenure, unlawful invasions and the importance of understanding the role that entities can play in achieving restitution, to mention a few.

The Land Reform Practice provides multi-faceted and strategic advice that is mindful of the peculiarities that may affect each client’s unique needs. Whether considering the Restitution of Land Rights Amendment Act, the Extension of Security of Tenure Act, the Property Valuators Bill or the Expropriation Bill, our lawyers apply innovative thinking to tackle matters sometimes considered “no man’s land”.