The message of 'Dignity for Rural Communities reverberated throughout the valleys of Mthonjaneni ton Monday 29 June 2026, as the MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development in KwaZulu-Natal, Mrs Thembeni KaMadlopha-Mthethwa, and the Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development, Mr Mzwanele Nyhontso, jointly officiated the transfer of four state farms. This was shared during the programme to hand over title deeds and farming implements held at Melmoth Sports Complex within Mthonjaneni Local Municipality in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

The farms, previously held under the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy [PLAS], have now been transferred to qualifying beneficiaries from the surrounding rural communities.

Speaking at the event, MEC KaMadlopha-Mthethwa said: “Land is not just soil, it is the foundation upon which we build food-secure and self-help in rural communities.”

"As these state farms are being transferred to you today, I urge you to not see this land only as a place to build houses but to work it. Let us work the land, produce food, create jobs."

"We also call on our traditional authorities to release more land for agricultural production," concludes MEC kaMadlopha-Mthethwa.