Land claimants wait with bated breath

Restitution slow due to budget constraints, department says

THE DISTRICT Six Working Committee is anxiously waiting for next year to hear what will happen to land claims registered by thousands of claimants.

The committee will be hosting a meeting next month at the Castle of Good Hope where they will discuss what is happening to their land clams. The chairperson of the committee, Shahied Ajam, said the meeting on October 1 will discuss the slow pace of developments on the 42 hectares of land available for restitution.

“We want to finish the 42 hectares as quickly as possible. There is a shortage of houses and if we can’t put people back, what kind of credibility will we have? Why can’t they just get the job done?”

Ajam said people had been waiting for houses for too long and it was sad that some were not getting to realise their dream of owning houses.

“It’s time for government to start working with us. D6 is the jewel of the City Bowl.”

Ajam said they chose the Castle as the venue because of its historical significance.

“The Castle has such significance, it’s where life started for most of our people. It’s a place of horrors, but it is the first step into reconciliation.

“People have been waiting for years and we feel that these politicians are playing games with us. I say we must go up there and put shanties up, that is the only way they will listen to us.”

He said it was bad enough they were forced out of their homes by the former government and they now needed their dignity back.

“We have to do something drastic to be listened to, otherwise we will sit another 20 years. It is our right and we have to have our dignity restored, it must not take this long.”

Spokesperson for the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform Mtobeli Mxotwa said they were working through the claims.

“The restitution process is a national thing and we are working on the nine provinces… it is slow because of budgetary constraints.”

He said the Constitutional Court ruling did not affect the District Six claimants.

Last year the court ruled that the Restitution of Land Rights Amendment Act was invalid and that Parliament did not follow proper consultation. It was passed just before the 2014 elections.

“The judgment was to stop the department from processing new claims and stopping us from accepting new claims and processing thereof. It said we must finish old claims within 24 months.”

They were within the deadline, “the court said we must go back to them if we see we won’t meet it, so we can get further direction”.