State properties in Strand released for land claim

THIRTEEN State-owned properties in Strand have been released to settle a land restitution claim of a Cape Town family.

The value of the land is more than R2.9 million and will be transferred to the family by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD).

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille at the weekend said that she had signed off on the release of various parcels of land in the Western Cape, the North West and Mpumalanga for three claimant communities.

In the Western Cape, the release of State-owned properties measuring 0.6529 hectares in Strand was undertaken to settle the claim of the Muhammed Haron family.

“The family lodged claims on various parcels of land in the City of Cape Town which they were dispossessed of under the Group Areas Act.

“The claims were verified as valid by the Western Cape Regional Land Claims Commission.

“However, due to the original properties no longer being available for restoration purposes, the Western Cape Regional Land Claims Commission opted for available properties in Strand which are under the custodianship of DPWI (Department of Public Works and Infrastructure),” De Lille said.

The DALRRD said De Lille released erven 21647 to 21659 in Strand for restitution purposes in July.

“The properties will be used to settle various claims submitted in terms of the Restitution of Land Rights Act, No 22 of 1994, as amended including the claim for the Muhammed Haron family.”

In the North West, seven properties with 234 hectares valued at about R4.7m in the Madibeng Municipality was released to settle the restitution claim for the Mekgareng community.

In Mpumalanga, De Lille signed off the release of just over 9 807 hectares of land.

The property is valued at about R83.4m for the restitution of the claim by the Ngwaritsi community.

“For the 2021/2022 financial year, I have so far signed off the release of 32 properties, measuring more than 10 000 hectares valued at over R91m for restitution purposes,” De Lille said.

“DPWI will continue to expedite all other land claims to ensure that we move faster to finalise the claims for claimants who have waited too long for their land to be returned to them.”