Restitution of land should be a continuous process

THE recent handover of R13 million by Deputy Minister Mcebisi Skwatsha as compensation to 122 families who were forcefully removed from their ancestral land in Lawaaikamp between 1950 and 1986 in George, emphasised the department’s continued effort in restoring the dignity of South Africans whose land was seized at the height of apartheid.

Despite the Constitutional Court ruling in July, that declared the Restitution of Land Rights Amendment Act invalid after it found that Parliament failed to allow for proper consultation before passing the law, the department continues to work hard.

Before the judgment, the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights had successfully managed to settle 98% of the land claims lodged as at March 31, 2016. The commission had also prioritised the settlement of land claims lodged by the cut-off date of December 31, 1998 for finalisation. This was a setback.

However, in remedying the situation going forward, I think the restitution of land should be a continuous process, not an episode that is enacted over a period of five years. I stand by the remarks of minister Gugile Nkwinti during the budget

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This is prudent thinking by the minister, because land dispossessions happened for a period of more than 300 years, and it will take more than a window of five years to redress the undesirable impact which led to the loss of tenancy rights, residential rights and agricultural rights of our people. @candis22109891: Thank you for keeping us updated, @thecapeargus. @nfred2907: Be water wise; implement water-saving habits.

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