Lost in the nightmare that has been Robert Mugabe’s “land reform” is the fact that while Zimbabwe’s reform has been a nightmare because it was geared toward rewarding or placating the so-called “war veterans” who have made up so much of Mugabe’s ZANU-PF support (and an even greater percentage of its thuggery), land reform in and of itself is not only not a bad thing, it is a good and necessary thing. The problem comes with it being used as a political tool and a weapon.
The Mail & Guardian shows that in at least some circles there are success stories among Zimbabwe’s new African farming classes. sadly these stories are few and far between and are merely the result of sheer luck rather than coherent planning. But that they exist serves as a reminder that land reform is not in and of itself wrong or bad or evil or misguided. This is a lesson not only for Zimbabwe, but also for South Africa and elsewhere on the continent.
