MK Party Says 1994 Sold Black South Africans a Dream

Sifiso Mahlangu urged residents to approach municipalities about land policies and available land during a University of Pretoria event.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Real Estate — General

Wide dry grassland under a pale sky with a weathered fence line running toward a distant ridge in warm late-morning light. — MK Party deputy official Sifiso Mahlangu told residents at a University of Pretoria event that black South Africans were sold a dream in 1994 and urged them to approach municipalities about available land. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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MK Party acting deputy secretary-general Sifiso Mahlangu argued that black South Africans were sold a dream in 1994. He spoke during an MK Party activation programme at the University of Pretoria on Saturday, encouraging residents to approach their municipalities about available land.

Why it matters

Mahlangu argued South Africa cannot move on from its past without confronting the consequences of colonialism and apartheid. Land ownership remains sharply unequal, a point he tied to historical restrictions on African land ownership.

The 2017 Land Audit recorded white individuals holding 72% of registered agricultural land compared with 4% held by African individuals. The 1913 Natives Land Act limited African ownership to 7% of the country's land, while the 1936 Native Trust and Land Act raised that allowance to 13%, and the source does not indicate how current figures would change under any land policy.

The players

Sifiso Mahlangu

Acting deputy secretary-general of the MK Party, who spoke on land ownership and encouraged residents to engage with municipal land policies.

MK Party

A South African political party whose activation programme at the University of Pretoria hosted Mahlangu's remarks on land reform.

The details

Mahlangu urged residents to familiarise themselves with municipal land policies and to approach their municipalities to find out what land was available and how to apply for it. Municipalities hold their own land assets and govern their management and allocation through their own policies.

1913: The Natives Land Act restricted African land ownership to 7% of the country's land.
1936: The Native Trust and Land Act increased the African land ownership allowance to 13%.
1994: Mahlangu argued that black South Africans were sold a dream of economic freedom.
2017: The government's Land Audit published data on unequal agricultural land distribution.
1 November 2026: Mahlangu spoke at the University of Pretoria activation programme.

Historical Context

The debate traces back to the 1913 Natives Land Act, which confined African land ownership to 7% of the country, and the 1936 Native Trust and Land Act, which raised that share to 13%. Mahlangu's remarks connect those historical limits to the 2017 Land Audit's finding that white individuals held 72% of registered agricultural land.

Residents interested in available land can contact their municipality to learn which land is on offer and how to apply for it. Mahlangu urged people to familiarise themselves with municipal land policies before making any application.

The takeaway

Land access in South Africa is shaped by policies that trace back more than a century, and municipal allocation rules are a practical starting point for residents seeking land. Understanding those local policies can help people take concrete steps toward ownership.