Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform Mr. Gugile Nkwinti handed over five title deeds to five Bahurutshe communities in one of the biggest land claims that were settled at Motsane Game Farm outside Zeerust in the North West Province earlier today.
This occasion marked the handover of more than fifty four thousand (54 280) hectares of land which included a game farm that has been restored to the Bahurutshe communities. The Bahurutshe were disposed of their land around 1936 following the passing of the Development Trust Act by the previous government.
Like many African Communities in South Africa the Bahurutshe lost their rights in land and were reduced to farm workers and labour tenants on their properties which were allocated to white farmers. The Bahurutshe Kingdom stretched as far as Rustenburg and Pilanesburg. They lived between the Ngotoane, Madikwe and Crocodile rivers in what is now the North West Province.
The Commission on Restitution of Land Rights purchased the properties on behalf of the Bahurutshe for more than four hundred and sixty five million rand (R465, 326,484.20) benefitting a total of 1878 households.
During the handover Minister Nkwinti was critical of calls for communities to engage in land grabs saying while he acknowledged the challenges with the restitution process, grabbing land will only take the country backward. He emphasised the need to work together in order to correctly restore land to the rightful claimants.
The Minister also used the handover celebrations as a platform to launch the first farm in the North West Province which forms part of the implementation of the policy on Strengthening the Relative Rights of people working the Land also known as ( 50/50) framework. The launch was took place at the Stars Away Farm in Ottoshoop, Zeerust. Minister hailed the initiative as a milestone.
The Stars Away farm in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District is a commercial farm that is over five thousand hectares in extent (5 127.42 HA). The farm is currently a successful going concern engaged in live-stock production and comprises of natural grazing, 300ha is planted pasture and 21ha is Lucerne under irrigation.
The launch of the project follows the conclusion of an agreement which will see farm workers and the farmer become co-owners of the farming enterprise. The Department acquired a stake in both the land and the farming business on behalf of the farm workers.
Both the commercial farmer and the five farm workers beneficiaries have established a new company that will run the business.
Minister said he was encouraged by the contribution the program is making toward improving the lives of poor farmworkers. The 50/50 policy framework is an initiative of the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, which aims to assist farm workers to acquire security of tenure and to become co-owners of the farms on which they spend most of their lives as workers.
"Now that farm workers have acquired a share in the farm business, they are now taking control of their situation. In this way they will feel that they are part of South Africa", Minister said.
Premier of North West, Mr Supra Mahumaapelo said that the 50/50 program is implemented to restore the dignity of the community, which was eroded by land dispossessions which happened over 340 years ago when land was seized during the colonial era.
