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Use of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) SAP and GIS (Geographic
Information Systems) to analyse and manage Land Reform in South Africa.
John Cluett. 23 December 2017.
Abstract
The following information outline the challenges that faces South Africa as the ANC pursues
a policy of "radical economic transformation" that will speed up expropriation of land without
compensation. South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa, the new leader of the governing party ANC,
said on Thursday 21 December 2017 he aims to stamp out corruption and pursue a policy of
"radical economic transformation" that will speed up expropriation of land without
compensation.1 A scenario is described if South Africa is going the same way as Zimbabwe.
The Deputy Minister was speaking during his visit (today, 21 September 2017) with the
provincial leaders in the Northern Cape Province to engage with District and Local
municipalities on the implementation of Rural Development and Land Reform Programs’2
SAP/ERP and GIS systems
Benner3 states ESRI brings a rich suite of mapping and map analytics functions to SAP
users across a broad range of industries worldwide. Users can access and use SAP data
through intuitive, user-friendly map interfaces; see that data in context with other data from
within SAP or other business systems; and perform a wide range of spatial analysis. This
helps people make better decisions. Work orders, for example, can be assigned based on
proximity to avoid unnecessary driving time for work crews. Marketing campaigns can be
targeted to specific areas that match demographic profiles. Executives and operational
personnel can share a common operating picture that reflects the real-time status of
opportunities, problems, resources in the field, and much more.
ESRI delivers this capability through a common technology platform that supports traditional
desktop, thin-client, embedded, mobile, and Web service deployments. Each can be
integrated with SAP NetWeaver in both traditional client-server and service-oriented
architectures, giving us the flexibility needed to support all integration scenarios.
The ArcGIS platform provides all the capabilities needed to create, manage, use, and deploy
mapping data and applications within the SAP NetWeaver software suite. It is designed to
meet the most demanding requirements for open standards-based, scalable, and user-
friendly GIS across the enterprise. It leverages the investment in SAP by using data in new
ways, improving internal business processes, expanding the SAP user base, and providing
customers with better service and support
.
Benefits – Value Proposition.
ArcGIS is a complete, scalable system of software for geographic data creation,
management, integration, analysis, and dissemination for every organization, from an
individual to a globally distributed network of organizations.
1South Africa should be able to seize land without paying compensation, Cyril Ramaphosa, December
2017
2Media Statement: Deputy Minister Skwatsha engages provincial leaders on key rural development
and poverty alleviation programs - 21 September 2017
3GIS Best Practices Using GIS and SAP June 2007
2
The ArcGIS suite of applications supports every kind of GIS need, so it is particularly suited
to grow alongside the SAP system. As additional SAP components and solutions are
brought on line, there is no need to introduce multiple GIS products.
Further data is referenced 456concerning the use of GIS to optimise this critical aspect of
effective land reform in Africa and South Africa.
Is SA going the same way as Zimbabwe? 7
This is not a question which can answered by a simple yes or no. One has to look at
similarities and differences of the land problem in the two countries.
Similarities
Both countries have experienced settler colonisation and the black majorities in both
countries were dispossessed of land. Land was a form of disempowerment for the blacks. In
SA in 1913, the Black Land Act placed vast areas of land under the sole control of whites.
Black were given traditional lands where they were believed to have traditionally lived. The
1913 Act was followed by the Black Trust and Land Act of 1936, which allocated 13% of SA
land to blacks although they comprised 80% of the population.
Similar Acts were put in place in Zimbabwe. The Land Apportionment Act in 1930,
formalised racial separation of land and paved way for economic subordination for blacks.
The blacks lost substantial economic power as they were driven to marginal areas with
inherently poor soils and erratic rainfall. Although farming was part of their livelihoods of the
people, and the sole source of food and income, a series of repressive legislation prohibited
them from participating on the mainstream of the economy.
The extent of land dispossession in both counties inevitably led to economic subordination of
the black people and this had a severe impact on poverty,
Environment and human rights. As a result the black people in both South Africa and
Zimbabwe fought armed wars to correct the injustices. The current land reforms in the two
countries thus, cannot be taken in an economic context alone. If a broader picture is taken,
land reform is about addressing historical social injustices, human rights violation as well as
restoration of the dignity of the black people in the two countries. People in these countries
view land reform as adriveto build freedom from poverty, dependence, economic deprivation
and exploitation.
Despite historical similarities between Zimbabwe and South Africa, there are also
fundamental differences in their economies, which can impact on land reforms in the two
countries. The economy of Zimbabwe is based on agriculture. More than 70% of its people
earn a living from agriculture and this may explain why there was so much pressure for land,
leading to farm occupations. On the other hand. South Africa’s economy on the other hand is
based on mining and industry. As a result there is more land pressure for residential
purposes than for agriculture. In addition, the framework for land reform in South Africa is
4OSGeo Live Open Source GIS software for Land Reform and Developing Geomatics in Africa 2014i
5Land tenure and GIS best practice Prepared by ABIC April 2003
6Community Integrated GIS for Land Reform in South Africa 1999
7Land Reform Programme in Zimbabwe: Disparity Between Policy Design and Implementation. May
2004.
3
more advanced that in Zimbabwe. This alone means that there is greater potential in South
Africa to address the land issue more efficiently than in Zimbabwe. To a lesser extent, there
are some land occupations in South Africa. However mass land occupations, as is the case
with Zimbabwe can be avoided if current modes of land reform (restoration of ancestral land,
acquisition of land and securing land tenure) can deliver results to the satisfaction of the
black majority.
Summary
The implication of Land Reform in South Africa, without compensation, will create challenges
with stakeholders, these being, current land owners, those claiming land reform and political
parties that are either for or against this policy. It is critical that a just and equitable process
be found that can measure the extent of the land to be redistributed and how action plans
are realised and managed to obtain a win-win outcome. GIS and ERP/SAP appear to offer
such a system to mitigate some of the highly emotional aspects of this environment. Further
research is required on this subject.
References.
South Africa should be able to seize land without paying compensation, Cyril
Ramaphosa, December 2017.Published 6:45 PM ET Wed, 20 Dec 2017 Updated
8:38 PM ET Wed, 20 Dec 2017 Reuters
Media Statement: Deputy Minister Skwatsha engages provincial leaders on key rural
development and poverty alleviation programs - 21 September 2017. Issued by the
Department of Rural Development and Land Reform Enquiries
GIS Best Practices Using GIS and SAP June 2007. ESRI • 380 New York Street •
Redlands, CA 92373-8100 • 909-793-2853 • FAX 909-793-5953 • www.esri.com
OSGeo Live Open Source GIS software for Land Reform and Developing Geomatics
in Africa 2014. Shorter C, Fleming G.OSGeo / AfriSpatial, South Africa,
gavinjfleming@gmail.com
Land tenure and GIS best practice Prepared by ABIC April 2003.Africa Bureau
Information Centre, US AID DIS.
Community Integrated GIS for Land Reform in South Africa June 1999.Weiner D,
Harris T. Research Paper 9907. Department of Geology and Geography
Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6300.
Land Reform Programme in Zimbabwe: Disparity Between Policy Design and
Implementation. May 2004. Medicine Masiiwa, Institute of Development
StudiesUniversity of Zimbabwe