The impact of membership in communal property associations on livelihoods in the Northern Province, South Africa

This paper investigates the impacts of Communal Property Associations on rural livelihoods in the Northern Province, South Africa. After a brief review of livelihoods and a short background to land reform in South Africa the paper details findings regarding the impact of land reform in the province. Quantitative and qualitative interviews were conducted from July 1999 until May 2000 and in January 2001 to identify and explain any change in livelihoods resulting from land transfer. Change in livelihoods as a result of land reform was found to be minimal largely due to general disorganization, farm size problems, lack of capital, lack of skills and labor, gender bias, and skewed age distribution.