PLAS
DALRRD - Land Redistribution & Development Branch
Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy
What PLAS is (and is not)
PLAS is South Africa's main state-driven land redistribution mechanism. Government purchases a productive farm from a willing seller, holds it in the name of the state, then leases it to a qualifying farmer on a long lease with an option to purchase later. It is not a grant to buy your own land, and it is not restitution — it is a state-managed land pipeline. If you want to farm at commercial scale but cannot buy the land yourself, PLAS is the route.
How the 30-year lease works
What rent actually looks like
| Assessed productive value | R14,500,000 |
| Annual rent (5% of productive value) | R725,000 |
| Monthly rent | R60,417 |
| Rent per hectare per year | R2,900 |
Rent is reviewed against agricultural land-value indices every three years, not annually.
Who can apply
- South African citizen aged 18 or older, historically disadvantaged
- Farming experience or agricultural qualification (or willingness to complete DALRRD's mentorship programme)
- Not already owner of commercial farmland
- Ability to fund operating expenses in year one (Land Bank facilities or own equity)
- Approved business plan for the specific farm applied for
Where to apply: District Land Reform Offices
Applications are lodged at your district office, not at national DALRRD. Provincial contact numbers below.
National contact
DALRRD Land Redistribution and Development Branch: 012 312 8911. General enquiries [email protected]. Programme background at dalrrd.gov.za.