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24 October 2020   MEC MASE MANOPOLE CALLS ON THE PEOPLE OF THE NORTHERN CAPE TO APPLY FOR STATE FARMS   The Northern Cape MEC for Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Land Reform and Rural Development, Ms. Mase Manopole has urged the people of the Northern Cape, to apply for the advertised available agricultural state land.   The call comes after the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Mme Thoko Didiza, made an announcement that 12 portions, measuring 12 224 hectares of available land, have been made available to the previously disadvantaged people, who are in the farming business in the Northern Cape. The portions of land are in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District, however, the call for application is open for any resident of the Province. MEC Manopole has called on women, youth and people with disabilities to use this opportunity to obtain farms for agricultural purposes. Through this land reform programme, government offers a 30-year leasehold with an option to buy. The leasehold is subject to the following conditions: The lease agreement signed between the state and the beneficiary will be a legally binding contractual agreement, The lease agreement will not be transferable under any circumstances, The beneficiary will not be allowed to sub-lease or sublet a portion of land or the whole of the farm under the leasehold between him/her and the state, The beneficiary will have to manage, maintain and keep the record of assets received from the state, Beneficiaries will pay a monthly or annual rental fee per hectare determined by the state, consistent with the value of the land in line with area valuation, Any investment made by the beneficiary must be recorded, valued and reported to the state, A credit management system will be put in place to manage debt recovery and management, The beneficiary has an obligation to manage, maintain and keep the record of assets received from the state failure to comply with any of the contractual obligations listed above the state will consider the option of terminating the lease. MEC Manopole indicated that the call for application presents a great opportunity for the people of the Northern Cape to access the land and actively participate in food production.She further indicated that the decision by government to make land available presents a great opportunity for the creation of jobs, economic development, food production and skills development.All beneficiaries who have been allocated state land and signed the lease agreements will be subjected to a compulsory training programme.The training programme will include entry level training on the commodity of their choice, basic record keeping and basic financial management as well as enterprise development.Application forms can be obtained on the National Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development website, https://www.dalrrd.gov.za/ , or at the department district offices as indicated in the advert.The closing date for applications is 16 November 2020.