Mnqobokazi Communities, Phinda, KwaZulu-Natal province, delivered by Minister
for Agriculture and Land Affairs, Lulama Xingwana
11 August 2007
The Programme Director,
His Majesty the King,
Abantwana bondlunkulu namakhosi onke akhona lapha,
The Honourable MEC for Agriculture and Environmental Affairs,
Mtholephi Mthimkhulu,
Honourable MEC Mkhize,
Members of Parliament Present here today,
The Mayor for Unkhanyakude District Municipality Councillor Mthombeni,
The Mayor for the Big Five Local Municipality,
All the Councillors present here today,
Distinguished guests,,
Claimants and Beneficiaries,
Members of the Makhasa and Mnqobokazi communities,
Members of the media
Halala, Makhasa Halala!
Halala Mqobokazi Halala!
Ubuyile umhlaba wethu, Ubuyile!
On 9 June this year I was here to give you that part of your claim which is
state land. I promised that I would come back, today I am here to say "uLulu
ubuyile!" ezokubuyisela umhlaba kubantu bakwaMakhasa nabaseMnqobokazi.
Ngeqiniso lolu lusuku lwenjabulo kubo bonke laba Bantu basuswa ngo dli kumhlaba
wokhokho bako. Namhlanje sinibuyisela umhlaba emva kwesikhathi esingaphezulu
kweminyaka emashumi mane, nihamba njengabantu abangenamhlaba. Today is the day
of restoration.
Land dispossession by the previous government robbed the communities of
their beneficial occupational rights which they had been enjoying since time
immemorial. It robbed them of their dignity as a people, and right to own land
in a country of their birth. Where the communities had been using the land for
farming and production of food, the previous government took the land from them
to develop game reserves. As a result, the communities lost their source of
livelihood. They were left destitute without compensation for their loss.
Today, the tide has changed. The new democratic government of the people by
the people respects the right to land of every citizen, irrespective of the
shade of the colour of their skin. I am here today representing the government
to say to you that we are deeply sorry for the loss you have suffered. Through
this compensation, we are encouraging you to work hard to rebuild your lives
which were disrupted when you were unceremoniously removed from your homes.
Today we have a Constitution that protects the rights of every citizen in this
country, which includes the right to land. We are saying never again will
people suffer racially motivated land dispossessions in this new
dispensation.
Today I am here to announce that:
* We are restoring to you land in extent of 11 500 hectares which
incorporates the game. The land includes the popular Phinda Game Reserve and is
home to the famous Big Five. There are Rhinos, Elephants, Hippos, oNkonkoni
nengonyama. Zonke lezi zilwanyana zikhuthaza itourism ingakumbi kwimimango enje
ngale yase Pinda. Kungakho lapha kusiza ama-tourists aqhamuka kumazwe
ngamazwe.
* Kubantu bakwa Makhasa sithenge nge R207 million.
* Kubantu bakwa Mnqobokazi sibthengele 4 966 ha of land, for the purposes of
restoration, sikhokhe R126,9 million ukuze siwuthole lo mhlaba. The landowners
can tell the international guests that come here and the rest of the world that
in South Africa there is justice, equity and fairness. There are no land grabs
here; instead we pay market related prices for land that we buy. I am happy
that you have agreed to ownership of the land through full title deed on the
land without physical occupation of the land in order to allow the current land
use to continue.
* When I was here on 9 June I announced the financial compensation award as
well as the development grants for both Mnqobokazi and Makhasa, and I am not
going to repeat that. I can only state that the commission has entered into an
agreement with the Post Bank where the Post Bank will make electronic bank
transfers into your bank accounts within two weeks after you have signed the
individual settlement agreements with your bank details. Today let me announce
that the Strategic Partner, CC Africa has confirmed and is going to sign the
Agreement today to commit to giving R9 million for Mqobokazi and R9 million for
Makhasa, thus a total of R18 million.
* We have agreed with Conservation Corporation Africa from whom we have bought
this land that you are going to lease the land back to them for a period.
During this time you will be working together with them in order for you to get
the necessary skills relating to the business operation. You will also share in
the proceeds from the economic activities which are taking place in the Game
Reserve.
I am glad that we have in our midst senior members of management from the
Ithala Bank. I am trust that they are taking note of the need to invest in this
venture.
I have been told that there are some women who played a critical role in the
finalisation of this claim. To the women I say: "Malibongwe igama
lamakhosikazi! Igama lamakhosikazi! Ningadikibali bomama ngoba niyinsika
nomgogodla wesizwe sethu. Nikhuthaze nabanye omama emiphakathini ukuthi babambe
iqhaza ezinhlelweni zentuthuko ukuze baxoshe ububha emindenini yabo kanye
nasemiphakathini abayakhele."
Our theme for this year for the celebration of Women's Month and the role of
Women in our society we are saying: 'Emancipation, Empowerment, Equality and
Eradication of Poverty Now!' We are well aware that there are still a lot of
challenges faced by women in this country. The Department of Agriculture and
Land Affairs takes the role of Women very serious in the development of
communities they reside on and furthermore to develop them in terms of
agriculture production and development. We have launched a programme across all
the provinces which are aimed at the development of Women in Agriculture, Woman
in Agriculture and Rural Development (WARD). I encourage the women in these two
communities to work together with the WARD leadership in the province for your
own development. This will enhance the level of your participation in the
projects emanating from this claim.
I am happy that an agreement will be signed today between the Makhasa
Community Trust and the Qhubekani Mnqobokazi Community Trust, the CCAfrica, the
Department of Land affairs, as well as the provincial department of Agriculture
and Environmental Affairs.
In terms of the agreement that will be signed here today, the ownership of
the Claimed Land which currently vests in CCAfrica, will be transferred to the
Trust, to be held on behalf of the claimant community. The claimed land shall
remain a conservation area and shall be used for the purpose of an unproclaimed
private nature and game reserve. The claimants, through the trust, shall not
sell or otherwise dispose of the claimed Land or a portion thereof, to any
person or institution, mortgage or encumber the title in any way, without
consent from the state.
The claimed land shall be used as an unproclaimed private nature and game
reserve, and for associated Commercial Activities and shall be managed by
CCAfrica in accordance with the Notarial Deed of Lease and all applicable laws.
The claimant communities as owners of the claimed land together with CCAfrica,
have an interest in the economic benefits accruing from the current and future
economic developments on the claimed land.
The claimant communities, through the trust, intend establishing a memorial
structure or museum which shall depict the history of the claimant communities,
the history of their forced removals as well as depicting the names of those
who were removed. This will be done in an appropriate place adding value to
tourist attraction as well as preservation of cultural heritage.
CCAfrica and the claimant communities will be negotiating are the
possibility, in the future, of converting some of the claimant community's
interests in the claimed land into an equity stake in the commercial lodge
operations of CCAfrica.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the two communities for their
patience and willingness to work together with the Commission towards the
finalisation of your claims. Please pass on a message of encouragement to other
communities which are still waiting for the finalisation of their claims. Tell
them that: 'Impela umhlaba uyabuyela kubanikazi bawo eNingizimu Afrika.'
When I come back to this place, I want to hear of the good progress made in
the new partnership that has been formed through the signing of the Memorandum
of agreement today. Government has invested a lot of resources in this project
do not disappoint those who are seeking to protect your welfare as a
people.
Ngiyabonga!
Malibongwe!
Igama laMakhosikasi!
Issued by: Department of Land Affairs
11 August 2007
Source: Department of Land Affairs (http://land.pwv.gov.za)
