Vumelana Advisory Fund

16/06/2026

Today we honour the courage and sacrifice of the young people of 1976.

As we mark Youth Day, we remember their role in shaping South Africa’s history and reflect on the future we are helping to build for young people today.

08/06/2026

Government’s move to release land with title deeds raises an important question: what needs to happen next for land reform to translate into real growth?

Stronger land rights matter. But title deeds alone will not be enough.
If land reform is to create jobs, strengthen rural economies and support inclusive agricultural growth, then stronger land rights must be matched by finance, training, infrastructure, market access and ongoing support.

At Vumelana, we believe meaningful land reform should be measured not only by access to land, but by whether that land is able to unlock productivity, investment and long-term opportunity.

Read the article here:
https://sundayworld.co.za/business/government-takes-steps-to-release-land-for-farmers/

Then share your view: once title deeds are in place, what support should come first?

We typically don’t comment much on budget vote speeches. Still, the Presidency’s Budget Vote speech, delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesda

01/06/2026

High input costs are putting even more pressure on one of the most important questions in land reform: what does it actually take for transferred land to succeed in practice?

In his latest Food For Mzansi article, Vumelana CEO Peter Setou reflects on how rising fertiliser and production costs are increasing the pressure on land reform beneficiaries who are already working with limited capital and inconsistent post-settlement support.

For us, this is a reminder that land transfer alone is not enough. If beneficiaries are expected to farm productively, they also need the finance, infrastructure, market access, governance support and capacity needed to survive tough economic conditions and build long-term viability.
Meaningful land reform must be measured not only by hectares transferred, but by whether communities are able to use land productively, sustainably and competitively.

Read the full article here:
https://www.foodformzansi.co.za/high-input-costs-threaten-land-reform-success/

Explore the challenges and opportunities of South African land reform and its impact on the agricultural economy.

27/05/2026

Are we measuring land reform by hectares or outcomes?

That question feels especially important right now.

In a recent Sunday Times opinion piece, Vumelana CEO Peter Setou reflects on the risk of transferred land remaining underutilised at a time when food insecurity, rising input costs, and economic pressure are becoming harder to ignore.

This brings us back to a bigger issue. Land reform cannot be judged by transfer alone. It must also be judged by what that land can produce, the livelihoods it supports, the markets it can access, and the long-term value it creates for communities.

At Vumelana, we believe the next phase of land reform has to move beyond hectares and focus more intentionally on outcomes.

Read the full article here:
https://www.sundaytimes.timeslive.co.za/opinion-and-analysis/opinion/2026-05-26-peter-setou-economy-is-ripe-for-food-scarcity-while-transferred-land-lies-untapped/

Share your view in the comments: Are we still measuring the wrong thing?

Peter Setou outlines why it is essential to unlock agricultural productivity to combat food inflation and bridge the food supply gap

26/05/2026

Food inflation, farming costs, and land reform are more connected than we often admit.

In this latest article, Vumelana CEO Peter Setou argues that South Africa cannot talk seriously about food security without also talking about agricultural productivity, post-settlement support, and the practical conditions that help land reform beneficiaries succeed.

From rising fertiliser costs to limited access to finance and markets, the piece highlights why transfer alone is not enough.

For us, the real question is how South Africa can build a land reform programme that is not only restorative, but productive and resilient.

Read the full article here:
https://www.bizcommunity.com/article/south-africa-must-unlock-agricultural-productivity-to-fight-food-inflation-401309a

Peter Setou, chief executive of the Vumelana Advisory Fund, argues that South Africa’s growing dependence on imported agricultural inputs is placing added pressure on land reform beneficiaries and the country’s broader food production system...

20/05/2026

What would improve land reform most right now?

A recent News24 article by Wandile Sihlobo points to agriculture as one of the brighter spots in South Africa’s difficult jobs environment. For us, that makes the land reform conversation even more important.

Because if agriculture can create and sustain jobs, then the real question is: what do we need to get right to make that impact go further?

Is it stronger post-settlement support? Better governance? More private-sector partnerships? Greater state capacity? Better access to finance and markets?

At Vumelana, we believe land reform must be judged not only by transfer, but by whether it creates real economic opportunity, supports productive land use, and strengthens livelihoods over time.

Read more here:
https://www.news24.com/business/opinion/wandile-sihlobo-agriculture-was-a-bright-spot-on-sas-bleak-jobs-data-that-may-be-about-to-change-20260512-0845

Vote and tell us why in the comments: what would improve land reform most right now?

15/05/2026

Support matters after transfer.

Land reform does not succeed at the point of transfer alone. What matters next is whether communities have the support needed to turn ownership into real opportunity.

That is why post-settlement support is so important. It is about more than administration. It is about building the governance, advisory support, partnerships and institutional capacity that help communities use land effectively and create long-term value. Vumelana’s programmes are built around exactly this need: supporting community-private partnerships through its Transaction Advisory Support Programme, and strengthening well-governed institutions through its Communal Property Institution Support Programme.

For us, meaningful land reform must be judged not only by transfer, but by what follows after it — productive land use, stronger institutions, jobs, income and sustainable community benefit. Vumelana says its partnership model is designed to help create jobs, generate income and transfer skills, while allowing communities to retain ownership of their land.

Read more about Vumelana’s support programmes here:
https://www.vumelana.org.za/what-we-do/
Then share your view in the comments: what kind of support matters most after transfer?

11/05/2026

Thirty-two years into democracy, land reform in South Africa remains a story of both progress and unfinished work.

There is no doubt that land reform has helped restore dignity and address historical injustice for many communities. But that cannot be where the conversation ends. The real question is whether transferred land is being supported in a way that creates livelihoods, strengthens rural economies and delivers long-term value.

For us, this is where the next phase of the conversation must go. Land transfer alone is not enough. Without post-settlement support, access to finance, infrastructure, market access and strong governance, the promise of land reform will continue to fall short in practice.

At Vumelana, we believe land reform must be judged not only by transfer, but by outcomes. Productive use. Jobs. Inclusion. Sustainability. Real impact for communities.

Read more here:
https://iol.co.za/business/property/2026-04-27-uneven-ground-the-mixed-reality-of-south-african-land-reform-after-32-years/`

Then share your view in the comments: what should South Africa prioritise to make land reform work more effectively in practice?

08/05/2026

After land transfer, what matters most?

A recent EWN report on women farmworkers marching to Parliament is another reminder that land reform is still urgent, lived and unfinished.

The article highlights calls for faster land expropriation and redistribution, while also raising concerns around landlessness, homelessness and evictions. For us, this brings the conversation back to what happens after transfer, because land reform cannot be judged by transfer alone. It must also be judged by whether communities have the support, security and real opportunities needed to make land work in practice.

Read the article here:
https://www.ewn.co.za/2026/04/21/women-farmworkers-march-to-parliament-demanding-action-on-land-reform

We’d like to hear your view. After land transfer, what matters most: governance, finance, infrastructure, market access, or ongoing support?

Share your thoughts in the comments.

06/05/2026

Land reform is still one of South Africa’s biggest unfinished conversations.

Recent commentary continues to show a mixed picture. Restitution has moved, but broader reform is still under pressure. In his recent Food For Mzansi article, Vumelana CEO Peter Setou notes that while more than 80% of valid restitution claims have been finalised, support for beneficiaries, productive land use, redistribution and tenure reform still need far more attention.

For us, that brings the conversation back to a simple question: where are we now, really?

Because land reform cannot be judged by transfer alone. It has to be judged by what happens after transfer — whether communities have the support, governance, finance, infrastructure and market access needed to make land work in practice.

At Vumelana, we believe the next phase of land reform has to be about delivery. Less symbolism. More implementation. Less headline politics. More practical outcomes for communities.

For further reading, we recommend Peter Setou’s latest perspective in Food For Mzansi: https://www.foodformzansi.co.za/land-restitution-leads-but-reform-still-lacks/