Government settles land claims worth over R200 million since start of 2024/25 financial year

The South African government has spent more R217 164 192 on land claims in the 2024/2025 financial year.

This land was privately owned by individuals and private companies; the claims were largely submitted by black people.

This information was recently revealed in a parliamentary reply to questions directed to the Minister of Land Reform and Rural Affairs.

Rise Mzani, chief whip of Makashule Gana, recently told The Citizen that this amount of money was paid for 287 claims.

He said that of these claims, 14 farms were considered productive at the time of settlement.

During the 2024/2025 financial year, the land reform and rural development department budgeted R466 million to acquire and allocate 46 767 hectares of land for redistribution through the proactive acquisition of strategically located land and also for security tenure purposes.

“This information once again pours water over the misinformation and disinformation around the Expropriation Act,” said Gana.

Gana said Afrikaner farmers who had applied for asylum in the United States (US) were spreading false information about land confiscation by the South African government.

‘Peddling lies on land’

The first group of Afrikaners landed in Washington this week.

Gana accused some Afrikaners of peddling lies and division.

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 “They falsely claimed that the government has in the past and will arbitrarily and illegally start a process of grabbing land, particularly farming property.

“Thus far, not a single iota of proof has been produced to support this false claim,” he said.

Is the Expropriation Act in full use?

Gana said the party had even questioned Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson about the amount of land expropriated using the Expropriation Act.

Macpherson is the custodian of the Expropriation Act.

“He stated that between 2014 and 2024, the department has not expropriated a single portion of land, despite already having the legal authority to do so,” he said.

According to Gana, the minister of Land and Rural Development, had also confirmed that 16,696 beneficiaries elected monetary compensation over taking ownership of the land being claimed.

“This in itself requires further inquiry around the reasons so we can better understand the psychology around and processing of land claims,” he said.

Gana said, while his party believe that the Expropriation Act should be implemented, he does not believe that it should be used maliciously.

“Government should follow the provisions of the constitution, implement the Expropriation Act and have the political will to do so.”

At the same time, he said the lies being peddled about the Expropriation Act have the potential to create a diplomatic crisis for South Africa and other countries, such as the US.

“Rise Mzansi hopes that with accurate information on expropriation and land reform in the public domain, it will aid with positively resetting relations between Pretoria and Washington.

“Moreover, we hope that those who have subscribed to the misinformation and disinformation campaigns now see the truth,” he said.

Why is Trump not listening?

Meanwhile, Gana took a jab at US President Donald Trump for failing to listen to the South African authorities about the situation with land in the country.

“He listens to the wrong people. It is deliberate from certain sections of society that have never supported our transition to democracy.

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