The year 2025 marks 31 years of South Africa’s constitutional democracy and 26 years since the inception of its land reform programme. This three-tier reform comprises land tenure reform, land restitution, and land redistribution—each with distinct objectives as outlined in the 1997 White Paper on Land Reform. Despite sustained efforts, progress has been widely regarded as inadequate by both implementers and the public.

Multiple diagnostic attempts have been made to identify the root causes of these shortcomings. Notable among them are the 2017 report of the High-Level Panel on the Assessment of Key Legislation and the Acceleration of Fundamental Change, chaired by former President Kgalema Motlanthe, and the 2019 report by the Expert Advisory Panel on Land and Agriculture. Although these reports included numerous recommendations to accelerate land redistribution, such as the merger of agricultural departments to form the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) and the development of beneficiary selection criteria, few have been meaningfully implemented. Moreover, the impact of these initiatives remains largely undocumented.

Given this context, it is timely to reflect on what has been achieved so far. Empirical evidence on progress relative to set targets is scarce. For instance, the National Development Plan (NDP) set a goal of redistributing 30% of commercial farmland by 2030. With only five years remaining, a critical appraisal is essential.

This special issue calls for contributions that explore the following key questions:

• Has South Africa’s land redistribution programme achieved its intended goals over the past 26 years? If not, what have been the major challenges, and how can they be effectively addressed?

• How accurate are current statistics on redistributed land, and where do data gaps exist?

• How should post-settlement support be structured to better serve the needs of land redistribution beneficiaries?

• Are there successful examples ("islands of success") within the land redistribution programme that could be replicated or scaled up?

• Is South Africa on track to meet its 2030 target of redistributing 30% of commercial agricultural land to previously disadvantaged individuals?

• Is the government allocating sufficient budgetary resources to land reform, particularly land redistribution?

• Has the cost of land redistribution been justified by its outcomes and benefits?

• Has land redistribution been coordinated with water reform? If not, what are the implications of this disconnect?

• Should commercial farms targeted for land redistribution be subdivided to align with the needs and aspirations of beneficiaries?

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

South Africa’s Land Redistribution Programme: 26 Years of Implementation—What Have We Accomplished So Far?