INLSA
Lewis Zimu, 87, holds a cash voucher issued by the Rural Development and Land Reform Department in settlement of a claim for land in Bishopstowe, outside Pietermaritzburg.
A sixteen-year fight by hundreds of disposed families for ownership of 7 600ha of ancestral land near Pietermaritzburg finally came to an end on Friday.
Owing to bungling by the Rural Development and Land Reform Department, the claims for land in Lions River and on Greytown Road, north of Pietermaritzburg, dragged on amid claimant accusations of shoddy representation which “bordered on criminality”, giving rise to protest marches in December 2010.
But last week, cash vouchers valued at over R25 million were handed out at Umhlaba House in Pietermaritzburg to more than 1 000 elders and family members from the Bishopstowe and Emhlangeni communities in final settlement of claims lodged pre-1998.
Fresh in the job, the chief director of the land reform and restitution office in Pietermaritzburg, Bheka Mbili, said the handover marked a victory for his department.
“These communities were dispossessed of their land due to discriminatory laws. We have done our research and found these claims to be valid.
“I am aware that Bishopstowe has a history of toyi-toyiing because of unhappiness that the matter was not handled with speed. But today we are celebrating a victory,” he said.
The Emhlangeni Communal Property Trust, headed by Elias Ndlovu, claimed 4 180ha of prime farmland in the vicinity of Midmar Dam which they said was taken from them in the early 1900s by Lala Morton.
Evicted
Research by the department shows that Morton occupied the farm while promising to help the claimants with farming skills. At first his cattle and those owned by the community grazed together.
However, the cattle were separated and a small portion of the farm was allocated to the community. Morton’s daughter, Ervello, took over the farm after her father’s death and evicted the community without compensation in 1971, according to Mbili.
Nellie Magubane, who administered the claim, said the properties under claim were too expensive to buy and financial compensation as full and final settlement was agreed on. More than R10m was paid out to 450 beneficiaries.
In the Bishopstowe matter, 824ha out of the 3 423ha under claim were not restorable due to development. More than R15m was paid out to 746 beneficiaries while negotiations for 16 properties valued at over R59m are under way.
Bishopstowe was first owned by Harriet Colenso, daughter of the famed Bishop John Colenso, who farmed alongside the local people. However, when she sold the land to German farmers it is alleged that the local community was forcibly removed.
Mbili said the department was now dealing with support for the community. Neighbour Ant Edmonds, who sold his property to his farm workers three years ago and serves on the administrative trust, said he was ready and willing to assist his new neighbours.
Robin Barnsley, spokesman for agricultural union Kwa-nalu, was pleased the matter was settled.
“The sooner we can get all the outstanding land claims concluded, so we can close this chapter forever and move on, the better,” Barnsley said.
