GETTING THEIR LAND BACK – A COMMUNITY CELEBRATES.

KwaMhlanga – A quite but a relatively hot Saturday on the 9 th of April 2005, the Mahlabane community assembled at Zundspruit Educational Centre to return to their dispossessed land. As expected, the function started like a house on fire with the community displaying their dancing skills in front of the guests – reason enough for the jovial mood.

The Mahlabane community claimed the land which are portions 3,4,5,6,7, and the remainder of the farm Leeufontein 188 JR and 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,10 of the farm Zundspruit 189 JR. The land is located in the Mbibana district about 30 km from KwaMhlanga in the former KwaNdebele homeland. In total, the land measures 8343.6198 hectares. The community owned about 1800 of the land before the whites disposed them.

A land claim committee comprising of democratically elected members under the chairmanship of Mr. M J Molefe was therefore employed to further the claims. A service provider was appointed to assist the community in order to form legal entity to which the land is going to be transferred to. A list of verified claimants was compiled and brought forward, and the claims were valid and the community gets their land back.

Agriculture and Land Administration HOD, Ms Maureen Sithole, pleaded with the community to be more united to use the land sustainably. “ We have work hard to get back this land as we have promised cited Sithole. The land is for the benefit of the Mahlabane community as a whole not individuals, you have to share this land and work hand in hand in order for this land to be productive , continued Sithole. The land will create job opportunity and in the same time eradicate poverty”

The land that was handed over to the Mahlabane community was a state land property under the department of Land Affairs, Provincial Department of Agriculture and Land Administration.

About 400 households made of 1531 beneficiaries are set to benefit from the 8343,6198 hectares of land. The land will further enhance economic status of the community.

Issued by the Communications Sub-Directorate
Department of Agriculture and Land Administrtion
Contact: Freddy Ngobe – 013 766 6086 / 082 821 4148