By Nomzwanele Mngoma

This was to commemorate 30 years since the enactment of SA’s Restitution of Land Rights Act. The communities were dispossessed of their land close to 90 years ago, through the Betterment Policy during the Apartheid era government.

The Qelana and Qolombana communities were relocated during the apartheid era and following the dawn of democracy, their land claims were submitted to the government in 1998. They received financial compensation around 2017, at which time, they expressed happiness that they had finally received their land back. Community Member, Novuyisile Cambalala says they still need government to help them work the land.

"The money we received before really helped us, we built our homes and orphans were also able to build themselves homes, but we are still asking (for) government to help us work the land, " Cambalala said.

Another Community Member, Khanyisile Ndzungu, expressed concern that they are receiving just over 5 000 hectares instead of over 10 000 hectares they originally owned.

"We did not receive all the land. The Qelana land is 10 079 hectares, yet we only receive 5 030 hectares. That happened because these departments take decisions without involving us, they took random people to show them the land, they were only showed the land with plantation, but when we showed the department again, our land reached the 10 049 hectares I’m talking about," Ndzungu said.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, SA Deputy President, Paul Mashatile, promised to assist beneficiaries with skills to work the land.

"We want you to get the skills to teal the land. To be able to manage the land, to be able to manage those trees, to be able to manage the water. You’re going to get those skills. You must use the land to benefit you as the community. Don’t sell the land," Mashatile said

Minister Nyhontso says this act has given the community members their dignity back.

"From today, they will own that land rightfully so, and therefore it means we will be restoring, not only their land but their dignity too. There is money already because remember, it's not only the land, there are also two forests. These are two communities and that company called Merensky in that forest is leasing and that means they are paying rental to the very same communities. And there was financial support to both communities  and even today they're still looking for what we call post settlement support so there is going to be support that will go their way," Nyhontso said.

---SABC---