Prof Ruth Hall-Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS), University of the Western Cape

My guest this week is Prof Ruth Hall. Ruth is based at PLAAS, the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian studies based at the University of the Western Cape.

Find out more about the work of PLAAS at plaas.org.za

She is one of South Africa's leading experts on land redistribution, land restitution and land tenure in the country. All three of her post-graduate degrees have focused on the land question in South Africa.

With land suddenly in the spotlight and a general election around the corner I thought it would be interesting to get some perspective on the debate.

While a lot of discussion is taking place on the need to change the South African Constitution in order to move land distribution forward, Ruth feels it is a lack of political will from the ANC that has stalled the process.

She also feels that land redistribution efforts have focused on giving farms to a politically connected urban elite, and not the poorest of the poor.