By Sonica Naudé-Steyn

On Friday at Umzimkhulu’s Esayidi TVET College, President Cyril Ramaphosa presided over the handing over of title deeds to claimant groups previously dispossessed of their land rights.
The President was assisted by Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development, Mr Mzwanele Nyhontso and Chief Land Claims Commissioner, Ms Nomfundo Ntloko and local leadership.
President Ramaphosa said that the ceremony represents the reinstatement of the affected communities’ rights in terms of the Restitution of Land Rights Act. He said that the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development, led by Minister Mzwanele Nyhontso, will restore over 17 000 hectares of land to four claimant communities including the St Paul Community, the Ngunjini Community, the Ndzimankulu/Vierkant Community, and the Lawrence Family.
In a statement the Presidency said that the handover marks a significant milestone in government’s ongoing efforts to redress historical land dispossession and restore land rights to rightful beneficiaries while also acknowledging progress made in resolving land claims and transferring land ownership to beneficiary communities.
“We know that some of the original claimants are no longer with us. But we are honoured to have their descendants present here today. I want to thank you all for having faith in the democratic processes that culminated in your respective claims being successful. We salute your resilience and unity as communities in your fight to reclaim what is rightfully yours. Today we are gathered not just to give you the title deeds to your ancestral land; we are here to restore the dignity and belonging that was taken from you through a great injustice and suffering,” said President Ramaphosa.
He called land disposition a great injustice and attributed it to the 1913 Natives Land Act, which he said dispossessed black South Africans of their land, their livelihoods and their birthright. He said that millions of people were forced off their farms to make way for white settlement. Their livestock was plundered.
“Today, we are handing over title deeds for a total of 18, 000 hectares of land. Approximately 2 800 beneficiaries are covered under these four claims. Five hundred and seventy-one female headed households across these four claims are now owners of their ancestral land. Our Constitution recognises the right to redress of people who were deprived of their land as a result of past racially discriminatory practices,” said President Ramaphosa.
He said the land in question has been under long-term lease from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment to Singisi Forestry Products, for commercial forestry use.
“The land will continue to be maintained and utilised for commercial forestry, but the claimant communities are now the legal owners and will receive rental income from the use of their land. This income is key in improving the living conditions in the communities. This restituted land will now benefit not just the original claimants but also their descendants for generations to come,” said President Ramaphosa.
The event also however saw a demonstration from disgruntled community members who picketed in protest of the handover, holding placards and even attempting to storm the stage during the official handover. Some communities maintain that the land in question was allocated incorrectly and that ‘original’ title deeds still exist. Public Order Police members were deployed during the ceremony to thwart any unruliness and allow the peaceful continuation of the ceremony.