The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) has shared the details of land it has recently released for the purposes of land reform, redistribution, restitution, land tenure and human settlement development.
Over the past 10 months, Minister Patricia de Lille has signed off numerous requests for releasing land under the custodianship of DPWI for human settlements, land distribution and restitution purposes.
In October 2019, Cabinet was briefed on the progress made by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Land Reform on accelerating land reform and redistribution through the release of State-owned land.
During the same month, 167 portions of State-owned land - measuring 14 105 hectares - held by the DPWI, were approved by Cabinet to be released.
In addition to this, the DPWI has processed the release of an additional 648 hectares of land, and has since been approved for release for human settlements developments.
The following parcels of land, under the ownership of DPWI, have recently been signed off for release:
• Northern Cape: Release of four State-owned properties to the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) to settle the restitution claim by the Doraan family. The claim was lodged before the 31 December 1998 cut-off date and complied with the provisions of the Restitution of Land Right Act, 1994. The market value, as of March 2018, for the four erven (2.8 hectares) being transferred to the Doraan family stood at approximately R3.2 million.
• Tshwane: A request from the City of Tshwane for the release of a proposed portion of the remainder of Elandsfontein farm for human settlements purposes. The land is to be released free of charge. The land is located approximately 29 kilometres from the City Centre in Tshwane. The municipality has informed the department that they can build approximately 4 000 houses on this parcel of land. The development will benefit the communities of Phomolong, Itereleng and the Hills informal settlements, and will significantly address the housing demand.
• Eastern Cape: Release of various State-owned properties in the Humansdorp registration to settle the restitution claim by the direct descendants of the Tsitsikamma Development Trust/AmaMfengu community. The AmaMfengu Community that settled in the Tsitsikamma area during the Anglo-Xhosa frontier wars of 1833 – 1834. The AmaMfengu community were dispossessed of their land and forcibly removed from the claimed properties in October 1927. Their removal was done in terms of the Black Administration Act of 1972. Fifteen other properties under the custodianship of DPWI were found to be available for the restitution claim. The 15 properties are more than 4 000 hectares in size. The value of these 15 properties, which will now be given to the claimants, stands at around R18.8 million.
• North West: Release of State-owned property – remaining extent of portion 3 of Booyskraal farm for a restitution claim by the Madibamantsho community. The land will be released to the DALRRD to finalise the claim and transfer the land to the claimants. This land is located in the Rustenburg District. The claim was made on 22 April 1998. The land that will be returned to the Madibamantsho community is more than 1 120 hectares and valued at around R4.4 million.
• KwaZulu-Natal: Gratis release of State-owned land for human settlements purposes in Cato Manor to the eThekwini Municipality for the upgrading and formalisation of an informal settlement. The size of the land is just over 2.1 hectares and worth R2.9 million.
• North West: Release of the remaining extent of Rosmincol farm (No. 442 JP registration division) to the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development to settle the restitution claim by the Baphiring community.
• Gratis transfer of State-owned land to identified emerging black farmers. Portions 318 of Loskop farm (South 53 JS, District of Groblersdal) in Limpopo province.
• Release of land to the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), which will in turn release land for the redevelopment of District Six in the Western Cape.
• Mpumalanga: Release of State-owned property. Portion 23 of Valschfontein farm to Dr JS Moroka Municipality for human settlements.
• Release of a property in Salvokop, Tshwane, to the Department of Social Development for use as a centre for victims of gender-based violence.
“DPWI will continue to fulfil its mandate with urgency to ensure that where land has been identified for human settlements, redistribution, land tenure and restitution claims, that we will expedite our processes so that no unnecessary delays are experienced with these important projects,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za
