Picture: (Land reform commission visits Taung)

BY OBAKENG MAJE
THE Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, said land ceilings are a necessary imperative for equitable land redistribution in South Africa.

The department embarked on registering all land owners who were forcefully removed from their native land.

The Land reform commission visited Taung since last week Monday in registering land owners.

Deputy Director of Land Reform Commission, Victor Tities said the department has registered more than 100 requests from residents of Taung.

“We are very impressed regarding those who heed the call, however most of the residents did not have relevant documents. We advised them to get needed documents and come forward.

“Also to highlight on that, if we took your name does not automatically declare we have accepted your claim. There are some research and intensive investigations that will take place to verify if you are the rightful owner of the claimed land,” Tities said.
According to Tities, the department want to avoid court cases and also handing over the land to wrongful owners.

“We know we living in this world, even though one knows very well that she/he never stayed in any land that was taken away from them, will still come forward and take chances,” he said.

Motsholathebe Monyatsi(67) from Lokgabeng village, in Taung said he is very grateful because at last the government heed their call.

“We would like to say thank you to our government because we’ve been crying out loud for our lost lands. Atleast at last one will be finally rest in peace after apartheid government inflicted a pain in our hearts,” Monyatsi said.

“We suffered after we were relocated from Mokassa 2 to Lokgabeng. Our fathers were owning farms there, but the government took all that from us and leave us with nothing to fend for ourselves,” he said.

Another granny who came to claim her land was Margaret Moeng(70) said they were staying in Taung CBD where now is owned by white person.

“Apartheid government evicted us from our land and gave it to one white person. That person now owns the whole land all alone, and we were left in the cold. But now all is come back into our own hands because we are the rightfully owners.

“The government says they will compensate us and we welcome the decision. During that time we suffered a lot and we were treated like animals. What white people did to us was inhuman and now they own close to 70% of our land in South Africa,” Moeng said.

The closing date for land reform will be closed on in 2019 and the department advises all those who want to lodge complain to come forward before is too late and not wait for until 11th-hour.

-TDN

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