The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform will, today (05 November 2018) and tomorrow, distribute vouchers as part of financial compensation to Mphaphuli land claimants, who lost their rights in land because of the discriminatory laws.

The financial compensation comes after the handing over of a cheque to the tune of R168 195 652.00 to the community by President Cyril Ramaphosa during the 8th People and Parks Conference held at Nandoni Dam on 24 August 2018.

The claimants are the Mphaphuli Community, consisting of 755 households, with each household receiving R221 000.

The Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has approved the financial compensation and the amount represents the full and final settlement of the community’s claim.

Chief MPM Mphaphuli lodged the land claim on behalf of the Mphaphuli Community on 20 December 1998.

The dispossession occurred after 19 June 1913. It initially commenced when people came from the Department of Urban Affairs (Local Government) in the then Venda Government after 1962 and they indicated that regulation 4 of chapter 1 of the Regulations for the Administration and Control of Townships in Venda, established under Proclamation R293 of 1962, had defined the boundaries and set apart the area known as Thohoyandou for businesses and Township development. They indicated that people would have to move out of the area reserved for those developments and other related purposes.

Between 1962 and 1987, the people were forcefully removed from the land and the then Venda Government created the commercial zone as part of Sibasa Town, a police pound in the Makwarela area, Venda Ministers’ houses and the Thohoyandou Township.

The Regional Land Claims Commissioner accepted Mphaphuli Community’s land claim as ‘prima-facie’ valid in terms of Section 2 of the Restitution of Land Rights Act 22 of 1994 read with Rule 3 and 5 of the Rules Regarding the Procedure of the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights.

The land claim was published in Government Gazette No. 28258, Notice No. 1348 of 2005 on 2 December 2005.

The Mphaphuli Community had customary law ownership of the land under claim. They also had beneficial occupation and use rights in that they occupied and used the land for more than 10 years before being removed.

These rights fall within the definition of ‘right in land’ as defined in section 1 of the Restitution of Land Rights Act, 1994 (Act No.22 of 1994) as amended. The total extent of the land under this land claim is 978.3407 hectares.

 

The claimants have opted for financial compensation because the land under claim, which is 978.3407 hectares, is not feasible for restoration as it is a Township, the Thohoyandou Township.

Issued by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform: Ms. Phuti Mabelebele - Chief Directorate: Strategic Communications - Cell: 083 4007106/ 076 402 7521| Eviction Toll-free Number 0800 007 095 I Phuti.mabelebele@drdlr.gov.za I www.drdlr.gov.za