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Compiled by the Government Communication and Information System Date: 31 Jul 2008 Title: Land claims might be settled by 2011 - Commissioner -------------------- By Sydney Masinga Polokwane - All outstanding land claims in the country will be settled by 2011, says South Africa's Acting Chief Land Claims Commissioner Blessing Mphela. Addressing a quarterly media briefing in Limpopo on Wednesday about the progress made so far in land restitution, he said that since the commission on restitution of land rights was established in 1994, a total of 74 808 out of 79 696 claims have been settled. "This has benefited 289 937 households and about 1.4 million individuals across the country," he said. By Thursday, 31 June, Mr Mphela said the state would have allocated a total of over R16 billion for all settled land claims. He said that in June alone, 2 621 households had received back 81 050 hectares of land worth R186 million as part of the commission's efforts to fast track the delivery of land in commemoration of the 95th anniversary of the promulgation of the Native Land Act of 1913, which led to most people being dispossessed of their land rights. Addressing members of the National Press Club in Pretoria last Wednesday, Mr Mphela said: "The reality is that we will need at least five years to settle the approximately 5 000 claims that are still outstanding." The commission, Mr Mphela said on Thursday, was committed to settling the remaining 4 888 outstanding claims by 2011. "We have to note that these outstanding claims are difficult to settle as a result of the nature of the challenges that affects the claims, such as opposition from some of the land owners who are disputing the validity of the claims, exorbitant land prices, claims that have been referred to the land claims court, family disputes, as well as boundary disputes involving traditional leaders," Mr Mphela explained. He said one of the challenges encountered in providing settlement support relates to the issue of governance and institutional support from other government structures. "The dual role of investigating and settling claims on the one hand, and providing development support on the other hand coupled with the nature of challenges that we have encountered along the way, has had a negative impact on the commission's ability to finalise the settlement of restitution claims within the timeframe earmarked initially for that purpose," he said. The Land Claims Commission was initially given a 2005 deadline to settle all the claims, but the deadline was extended to December 2008. The second deadline was also missed and has now been extended to 2011 and the commission has asked Cabinet for an additional R18 billion to settle the outstanding claims. "We also urge the Department of Agriculture to have a structure that links the new land owners to all the channels and infrastructure which is accessible to large commercial producers. "For land to be productive, it requires the full participation of relevant role players from the public and private sector. "If the processes are not aligned, including the alignment of white agriculture and emerging black farmers, then we will have a problem," said Mr Mphela. - BuaNews |
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