To honour Tutu’s legacy, deal with land

THE recent passing of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has left South Africans and the world empty and hopeless.

The Nobel Peace prize laureate was one of the driving forces in South Africa to end the policy of racial segregation and discrimination enforced by the white minority government from 1948 until democracy in 1994.

Tutu’s civil and human rights work was saluted around the world and his stance against apartheid made him a unifying symbol for a rainbow nation.

I urge every South African to follow in the footsteps of this icon by always engaging in non-violent endeavours to defuse all kinds of conflicts. Especially land disputes in large parts of KwaZuluNatal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.

These land disputes have prompted Minister Thoko Didiza to set up a special task team to try to resolve such cases, which are caused primarily by agricultural land acquired through the land restitution programmes, and in other instances, between labour tenants and landowners as well as illegal evictions or land invasions.

The leadership by Minister Didiza in dealing with these disputes is inspiring and it reminds all of us about what Archbishop Tutu stood for.

The police, criminal justice system, and other state organs must ensure that all people in South Africa are safe. Citizens must know the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development and the Land Claims Court are the first point of entry when there are land disputes.

These two institutions are custodians of laws like the Extension of Security of tenure Act, Community Property Association Act, Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act, Sectional titles Act, and many others.

Citizens must respect the rule of law and take it upon themselves to respect the clarion call that the court’s decision remains final and should be respected by all.

In that way, ubuntu and the rainbow nation will flourish for generations to come.

There is no need for our people to take the law into their own hands by killing each other over these disputes.

There are also a few non-governmental organisations like the Human Rights Institute of South Africa and the Land Access Movement of South Africa established to mobilise disposed of communities to collectively fight discriminatory colonial and apartheid land laws, racial and gender discrimination. Those who feel aggrieved can choose to consult such organisations for help.

RANKEPILE KHOMO | Duduza