Minister Didiza talks land to Madalaskom and Matsafeni-Mdluli claimants
The claim was was lodged by one family of Mdluli representing all the people of Madalaskom, without articulating the necessary land needs, which is what brought the challenge that they are having.
The minister of agriculture, land reform and rural development, Thoko Didiza, met with the Madalaskom, Matsafeni-Mdluli, Nkosi and other communities to address issues regarding land claims lodged by these communities. The original owners of the Madalaskom land in White River were relocated by the then government to areas around KaBokweni. 
On Monday, Didiza met separately with the Madalaskom and Matsafeni-Mdluli communities at Ingwenyama Conference and Sport Resort in White River.
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“The two communities requested a meeting to discuss challenges they have been experiencing in respect of their land claim,” she said. Didiza mentioned that the Madalaskom case had been in court and the court had instructed government to verify that claim. “The claim is valid, but there were competing claims on the land.
There are people who were owners of the land, some were tenants and some were put there as workers of the municipality at the time. So those competing rights are not necessary equal,” said Didiza.
“Unfortunately when the claim was lodged, it was lodged by one family of Mdluli representing all the people of Madalaskom, without articulating the necessary land needs, which is what brought the challenge that we are having,” she said.
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Talking about the issues of Matsafeni-Mdluli claimants, Didiza said: “The matter that ended up in court and was taken out of court by former Minister Gugile Nkwinti, so that there could be an out-of-court settlement.
According to Didiza the Mdluli, Nkosi and other claims were also registered as a Mdluli claim and did not highlight that there were other communities involved.
“So when the claim was concluded, it was concluded as the Mdluli land claim. So the other communities, the Nkosi in particular, raised the fact that they were not considered in terms of that land claim,” she said.
Didiza continued to say that there had been discussions between those communities to look at how best the land needs of these people can be addressed. The communities had reached a settlement, which must now be presented to court on how these farms are going to be settled back to the Nkosis.
