Land claimants bag millions

The Regional Land Claims Commissioner handed over vouchers on Sunday worth a combined R92 million to Wayeni and Dzumeri land claimants in compensation for land rights infringements under the apartheid government.

Each of the 354 households in Wayeni received R118 692, while the Dzumeri’s 351 households received R110 947 each, Letaba Herald reported.

This was after the Wayeni community comprising mostly Malele and Mahlangu families were forcibly removed from their land and homes in 1966 to make way for the establishment of homelands and self-governing states.

The land they occupied was to be incorporated into the Venda homeland.

But because these claimants were Tsonga-speaking, they were removed and relocated to various areas, including Holofani, Njhakanjhaka and the Mashamba villages, where the majority of them joined other Tsonga at Wayeni village, situated in the Vhembe District of the province.

Meanwhile, the dispossession of the Dzumeri community’s land took place between 1967 and 1968 on the basis that they were classified as Tsonga-speaking people and the land was earmarked for occupation by a Sotho-speaking people.

The settlement for the Dzumeri community comprises financial compensation amounting to R38.9 million, shared by 351 households, and R10.3 million to be used for development.

Most of the beneficiaries said they would use the money to improve their standard of living and pay for their children’s tertiary education.

According to the Regional Land Claims Commissioner, the settlement of these claims and the handover of financial compensation is part of the processing and finalisation of claims that were lodged in December 31, 1998. – Caxton News Service