Issued by: Ministry of Land Affairs
MEDIA RELEASE
In terms of section 2(1)(c) of the Provision of Certain Land for Settlement Act, 1993 (Act No 126 of 1993), Minister of Land Affairs Derek Hanekom today designated Subdivision 3 of Berdina no 399, situated in the Vryheid district of KwaZulu-Natal, for the purposes of settlement.
In terms of the above designation, the Mgazi Land and Community Trust will hold the land for the benefit of 25 identified families. This represents the first case of labour tenants gaining access to land, subsequent to the passing of the Land Reform (Labour Tenants) Bill in the current session of Parliament.
The above is a typical example of what can be achieved when all stakeholders work together in a spirit of mutual respect and recognition of each others' rights. Instead of evicting the families, as originally intended in December 1995, the owner of the land was prepared to enter into discussions with the threatened families and as a result indicated his willingness to sell the land to them.
This was followed by a consultative process involving the respective families, the owner of the land, the Department of Land Affairs and Agriculture, and various other Provincial Departments and NGO's. As a result, the community has informally entered into an agreement to purchase the land from the registered owner. The designation of the land means that a formal agreement can be finalised.
The land will be bought under the Grants and Services of the Land Reform Programme at a market-related price of R285 000, which means that each of the households would have money remaining from the grant for development and transfer costs.
Further information on this case is available from Mr Jan Truter at the Department of Land Affairs at (012) 312-8555.
ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF LAND AFFAIRS, 20 MARCH 1996