Tension over land threw up differences as big as dongas at a high-level conference in East London this weekend.
Traditional leaders spoke of their fear of being sidelined and stripped of their power by government, which they claim did not fully recognise their role.
Chiefs expressed these concerns at a “roundtable engagement” conference dealing with communal land policy.
The conference was hosted by the Women’s Investment Portfolio Holdings (Wiphold) in partnership with the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders (HOTL) and South African Local Government Association (Salga).
The conference was attended by ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform Gugile Nkwinti, Eastern Cape premier Phumullo Masualle, Buffalo City mayor Alfred Mtsi, and Wiphold chief executive Gloria Serobe.
Traditional leaders objected to government emphasising that land belonged to a village collective.
General secretary of Contralesa, Chief Xolile Ndevu, said he failed to understand the government’s view of traditional leaders.
“Long before the existence of the government it was traditional leaders who led their people. But today they want to strip us of our power. It’s as if we do not exist and we are powerless.
“Chiefs have always had the responsibility to manage and govern land we own for our communities, not the other way around, and that is not going to change now.”
Ndevu said that government should capacitate and strengthen their communities without undermining authorities that existed.
Xhosa King Zwelonke Sigcawu said focus should shift from the 13% of rural communal land and zoom in on the 87% of land which had been “displaced”.
“Villagers are congested with people sharing small amounts of land while white farmers are owning large portions per person. How is this right?
“We need to address this in a separate meeting with the government because it seems there is a misunderstanding between us, because there’s always a struggle between the two.”
Mantashe said: “We need to look at the land issue as a whole and scrutinise it on a broader, larger scale and deviate from engagements of 13% of communal land.”
However, MPL Thomas Walter from the DA, said he was disturbed by a comment Mantashe had jokingly made about opposition parties not able to understand people’s land issues like the ruling ANC did.
“It is not up to him or the ANC to decide what is best for the people and to say that traditional leaders would be misunderstood by opposition parties.”
Walters said a new model encompassing communal land, former homelands and the commercial sector should be drawn up.
“People living on communal land need to be treated exactly the same way we treat vulnerable people in other rural areas.”
CEO of the South African Heritage Resources Agency Pumla Madiba said there were many contradictions and impediments thrown up by customary law.
“Women often looked after the land, nurtured it and made it productive, but the land was always owned by men despite being taken care of by women.”
Madiba said rural women were still fighting to gain access to their own land. — mbalit@dispatch.co.za
Chiefs fear losing their power
Traditional leaders spoke of their fear of being sidelined and stripped of their power by government, which they claim did not fully recognise their role.
Chiefs expressed these concerns at a “roundtable engagement” conference dealing with communal land policy.
The conference was hosted by the Women’s Investment Portfolio Holdings (Wiphold) in partnership with the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders (HOTL) and South African Local Government Association (Salga).
The conference was attended by ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform Gugile Nkwinti, Eastern Cape premier Phumullo Masualle, Buffalo City mayor Alfred Mtsi, and Wiphold chief executive Gloria Serobe.
Traditional leaders objected to government emphasising that land belonged to a village collective.
General secretary of Contralesa, Chief Xolile Ndevu, said he failed to understand the government’s view of traditional leaders.
“Long before the existence of the government it was traditional leaders who led their people. But today they want to strip us of our power. It’s as if we do not exist and we are powerless.
“Chiefs have always had the responsibility to manage and govern land we own for our communities, not the other way around, and that is not going to change now.”
Ndevu said that government should capacitate and strengthen their communities without undermining authorities that existed.
Xhosa King Zwelonke Sigcawu said focus should shift from the 13% of rural communal land and zoom in on the 87% of land which had been “displaced”.
“Villagers are congested with people sharing small amounts of land while white farmers are owning large portions per person. How is this right?
“We need to address this in a separate meeting with the government because it seems there is a misunderstanding between us, because there’s always a struggle between the two.”
Mantashe said: “We need to look at the land issue as a whole and scrutinise it on a broader, larger scale and deviate from engagements of 13% of communal land.”
However, MPL Thomas Walter from the DA, said he was disturbed by a comment Mantashe had jokingly made about opposition parties not able to understand people’s land issues like the ruling ANC did.
“It is not up to him or the ANC to decide what is best for the people and to say that traditional leaders would be misunderstood by opposition parties.”
Walters said a new model encompassing communal land, former homelands and the commercial sector should be drawn up.
“People living on communal land need to be treated exactly the same way we treat vulnerable people in other rural areas.”
CEO of the South African Heritage Resources Agency Pumla Madiba said there were many contradictions and impediments thrown up by customary law.
“Women often looked after the land, nurtured it and made it productive, but the land was always owned by men despite being taken care of by women.”
Madiba said rural women were still fighting to gain access to their own land. — mbalit@dispatch.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos