WATCH | Land beneficiaries call for development after restitution

Beneficiaries of land restored under government’s restitution programme have called for urgent development of their newly returned land, warning that ownership without economic activity will not improve their livelihoods. The remarks were made ahead of a title deed handover by President Cyril Ramaphosa at Esayidi TVET College on Friday. The handover forms part of government’s land restitution programme aimed at addressing historical dispossession and restoring land rights to affected communities.

The Department of Land Reform and Rural Development, led by Minister Mzwanele Nyontso, will restore about 17 000 hectares of land to four claimant groups; the St Paul, Ngunjini and Ndzimankulu/Vierkant communities, as well as the Lawrence family. While welcoming the restitution, beneficiaries said development must follow swiftly to ensure the land contributes to economic growth, job creation and poverty alleviation. “Land without development is a waste,” said one beneficiary.

John Lawrence, chairperson of the Lawrence Trust, said the community had waited more than five decades to reclaim land that was forcibly taken from them. “The restitution of the land means a lot to us. We want it to be used for agricultural purposes and other initiatives that will help regenerate the economy,” he said.

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Bulelwa Gwagwa, a beneficiary from Ngunjini, said the land should be used to tackle unemployment. “The land must be developed and used for economic activities,” she said. Beneficiaries said they hoped government would support them with resources and infrastructure to unlock the land’s potential and ensure it benefits future generations. Ramaphosa is expected to officially hand over the title deeds later today in what government has described as a significant milestone in restoring dignity and land rights to dispossessed communities.

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