AN 80-YEAR-OLD Eastern Cape woman was the first applicant to lodge a land claim for her community as Rural Development and Land Reform Minister Gugile Nkwinti yesterday officially re-opened the process in the province.
Since July, more than 1 400 land claims in the province have been lodged.
Nongenile Adonis was representing 194 families from Mantunzeleni community in Ngqamakhwe in their joint community land claim.
Adonis said her community was removed in 1950 through a process known as a betterment scheme by the apartheid government.
She said a white man had come to their village and harassed them off their land. “I am so excited the process has been reopened.
This will go a long way in restoring lost dignity of my community, ” Adonis said.
She lodged her community’s claim as part of the Vulamasango Singene group of claimants. The Vulamasango campaign was launched in 2002 by a group of communities in the Eastern Cape who were victims of the betterment scheme.
More than 170 000 households were dispossessed in the former Ciskei and Transkei through this scheme which was implemented from 1930 until 1970s.
Land claims process kicks off
Since July, more than 1 400 land claims in the province have been lodged.
Nongenile Adonis was representing 194 families from Mantunzeleni community in Ngqamakhwe in their joint community land claim.
Adonis said her community was removed in 1950 through a process known as a betterment scheme by the apartheid government.
She said a white man had come to their village and harassed them off their land. “I am so excited the process has been reopened.
This will go a long way in restoring lost dignity of my community, ” Adonis said.
She lodged her community’s claim as part of the Vulamasango Singene group of claimants. The Vulamasango campaign was launched in 2002 by a group of communities in the Eastern Cape who were victims of the betterment scheme.
More than 170 000 households were dispossessed in the former Ciskei and Transkei through this scheme which was implemented from 1930 until 1970s.
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