Vumelana Advisory Fund is preparing to launch eight free support toolkits for communal property associations (CPAs), as governance and compliance challenges continue to affect land reform in South Africa.
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The resources contain 69 practical tools designed to help associations manage community-owned land, strengthen governance and improve their operations. Vumelana is calling on CPA representatives nationwide to submit their contact details ahead of the launch.
Governance challenges hinder land reform
According to the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development’s 2023/24 financial year report, 82% of the country’s 1,700 registered CPAs were found to be non-compliant with provisions of the CPA Act.
Several reports, including the High-Level Panel Report, also known as the Motlanthe Report, and the Presidential Advisory Panel on Land Reform, have identified barriers to progress. These include limited government capacity, poor governance practices, corruption, elite capture, weak legislative frameworks, uncertainty around reform objectives, constrained budgets and inadequate post-settlement support.
Peter Setou, chief executive of the Vumelana Advisory Fund, says, “We realised that addressing the challenges faced by land reform is a collaborative effort and since Vumelana was established, we’ve seen the challenges faced by CPAs mostly emanate from governance issues.”
Setou says beneficiaries need the skills, tools and resources to manage their land successfully after it has been transferred.
Practical post-settlement support can help CPAs fulfil their responsibilities and unlock the potential of transferred land. According to Vumelana, good governance can also help associations attract investment and build partnerships that create jobs, generate income and support productive land use.
Setou encouraged CPAs to participate in the programme, which is free and designed to help them manage transferred land after settlement.
Toolkits cover eight areas of CPA management
Since 2012, Vumelana has worked alongside CPAs and land reform beneficiaries, gaining first-hand insight into the challenges communities face in managing community-owned land.
The toolkits cover eight areas: readiness, governance, membership, human resources, administration, property, finance, and the distribution of benefits to members.
The resources include templates, checklists, policies, registers and worked examples that CPAs can adapt to their circumstances. They are intended to help representatives manage the day-to-day responsibilities of their associations and strengthen governance practices.
Vumelana is also developing an online CPA Toolkit Dissemination Platform where CPAs will be able to find and download resources. The platform is expected to include an AI-powered assistant to help users navigate the available tools and guidance.
CPAs invited to register for toolkit updates
Vumelana is calling on CPA representatives in all provinces, including those that have not previously worked with the organisation, to submit their details ahead of the rollout.
Representatives can email az.gro.analemuv@ofni with their name, CPA name, the names and job titles of executive committee members, province, email address and mobile number. They will receive updates about the launch and information on how to access the resources.
“Our aim is to help CPAs strengthen their governance and improve the management of transferred land to lay the groundwork for more productive land use that can benefit CPA members and the country as a whole," said Setou.
