Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, Gugile Nkwinti received a historic claim from the Vulamasango Singene group of claimants during an event to mark the launch of the re-opening of land claims process in East London in the Eastern Cape today.
The Vulamasango Singene Campaign was launched in 2002 by a large group of communities in the Eastern Cape who were victims of the betterment policy.
Under the betterment scheme, designated areas were divided into distinct land use zones - for residential, arable and grazing usage - and all people were forced into the demarcated zones. Betterment planning was implemented in the former homelands and other so-called self -governing states from the 1930s into the 1970’s, in an attempt to regulate these areas and control land usage.
This effectively forced communities into reserves where they shared much smaller and less arable spaces. Furthermore, people were also dispossessed of arable and grazing land through the process of the so-called betterment planning with many losing their livelihoods, livestock and homes.
During the first lodgement period, which closed in 1998, victims of the betterment scheme were excluded from the land claims process when the new democratic government opened the land restitution process.
The government was then taken to court by the Vulamasango Singene group, which wanted thousands of villagers from the former homelands areas to benefit from the restitution process.
In 2014, President Jacob Zuma signed into law the Restitution of Land Rights Amendment Act, 2014 (Act 15 of 2014), which signalled the re-opening of the lodgement of land claims for individuals, families and communities who missed the initial 31 December 1998 deadline. “It is a pleasure for me to receive this claim from the Vulamasango Singene representatives. It is in part through their efforts that we are here today. Our government is a government who cares and listens to the people.
“This is indicative of that fact and that we are firmly moving South Africa forward. This day is a testimony that we have listened to your calls,” said Minister Nkwinti. “We can no longer afford to ignore the plight of the most vulnerable of our people to receive what is rightfully theirs – the land of their forefathers. Amasango avuliwe,” said Nkwinti.
Mama Nongenile Adonis spearheaded the claim of thousands of villagers Thursday morning as she arrived at the Commission of Restitution of Land Rights lodgement site in East London. An elated Mama Adonis today lodged a claim on behalf of the Mantunzeleni community in the Ngqamakwe comprising nine villages who were victims of the betterment policy in the Eastern Cape.
“It is a good day for Mama Adonis and all the Vulamasango Singene community claimants,” said Chief Land Claims Commissioner Nomfundo Gobodo. She added, “Vulamasango Singene can go to the court and withdraw their case as victims of betterment scheme land dispossessions are now allowed to claim their land back.”
Government re-opened the land claims process in July this year without the court process being resolved.
The betterment policy of the previous government affected former homelands and those areas known as black spots, which saw the removal scores of communities from their land to smaller overcrowded designated spaces. More than 170 000 households were dispossessed of their land in the former Ciskei and Transkei through this policy which was implemented between 1930 until the 1970’s.
The cornerstone pieces of legislation upon which the betterment policy was based was the 1913 Natives land Act, the 1927 Natives Administration Act, and the 1936 South African Natives Trust and Land Act. In the Transkei, the Transkei Agricultural Development Act of 1966 was the instrument used to affect the betterment policy. Various proclamations were also used to disposes communities with proclamation 116 of 1949 being one of the most brutal.
To date 10 155 land claims have been lodged at the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights lodgement sites across the country since the re-opening on the 1st of July 2014.
Enquiries:
Linda Page
Mobile: 083 460 4482 / 071 334 3479
Sivuyile Mangxamba:
Mobile: 071 334 2915
