SA farming interests safe in Mozambique
2011-08-03 07:10
Pretoria - Mozambique's legal system and bilateral treaties sufficiently protected South African farming interests, a farming union said on Tuesday.
The seizure in July of a South African-owned resort in the Bilene area of Gaza province had raised concerns in the agricultural sector, said AgriSaMoz's chief executive Dirk Hanekom.
He said Mozambique's legal system and bilateral treaties with South Africa were "more than sufficient for the establishment of successful commercial agricultural practices in Mozambique".
AgriSaMoz, which is linked to AgriSa, had investigated the seizure, Hanekom said.
It was satisfied that there was enough legal scope for all land-users to secure their investments, especially long-term land lease users whose agreements were with the Mozambican government.
Mozambique's special police force, FIR, recently evicted inhabitants of 13 houses at the La Perla do Bilene resort in the lakeside town of Bilene.
The resort borders on properties linked to Mozambican President Armando Guebuza and former president Joaquim Chissano.
All land in Mozambique is public property and individuals or businesses obtain a lease, or right, to use the land.
However, they can own the buildings and other constructions on the land.
If permit-holders do not use the land for the purpose stated on the permit, they could lose the right to use the land.
Mozambican state media reported earlier that the owner of the resort, Braam Bruwer, had parcelled and sold off the land, which did not comply with his permit to run a tourist resort.
- SAPA
