Committee to address Telkom, community land dispute

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Pretoria - Communication Minister Roy Padayachie has set up a committee to help resolve a land claim dispute involving residents of a Durban community and Telkom.

On Tuesday, Padayachie met with representatives of the Block AK community in Greyville, Telkom management, Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform Thulasizwe Nxesi and officials for the Lands Claim Commission in a bid to plot the way forward regarding the dispute.

The meeting came about when the Block AK community lodged complaints with the minister in 2008, asking him to intervene in the property related dispute between them and Telkom.

Telkom intended auctioning property it owns, which is located in the Block AK community. The property in question is currently the subject of a land claim, the Department of Communications said.

Members of the community asked Padayachie to persuade Telkom to put the auction process on hold until the claim was finalised.

During Tuesday's meeting, all the parties agreed to work together to find a permanent solution to the dispute.

It was also agreed that Telkom would stay the process of auctioning the property pending the resolution of the Working Committee which has been set up.

"I'm encouraged by Telkom's willingness to give time for the restitution process to settle the matter," the minister said.

The Working Committee comprises officials from the Department of Rural Development, Land Claims Commission and the Department of Communications. The committee will be chaired by Nxesi. - BuaNews