Seminar: Land Reform as an Anti-poverty Intervention that Promotes Sustainable Livelihoods

This study examines the Ebenhaeser community as a case study—an impoverished rural area that has benefited from all three pillars of land reform. The community of approximately 1,305 people owns 44 farms,153 agricultural plots and over 18,000 hectares of TRANCRAA land, making it the largest communal landholder in its region. Government support, primarily through the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development, included investments in infrastructure, financial grants, agricultural equipment, and capacity-building in business and farming skills.

Key findings emphasize the importance of timely land transfer, integrated post-settlement support, access to strategically located land, and sustained empowerment. Policy implications highlight land’s centrality in poverty reduction, the interdependence of land reform pillars, the role of civil society, and shared societal responsibility in ensuring sustainable livelihoods. The study concludes with a forward-looking reflection on the future direction of land reform in South Africa.