2017 is the year to reclaim what is ours. Carrying the world’s first people DNA and being the first people here in South Africa, the human cradle also points to the Khoisan. The Bushman paintings in the Drakensberg and surrounding areas are over 20 000 years old but yet this government has not accepted these people as part of the National Development Plan.
22 years into democracy and the Khoisan people are worse off than in the past regime. Apartheid was bad but these 22 years have been a nightmare for the Khoisan classified coloured people. 1994 was when a group of people came together to exclude Africans from Africans.
Khoisans are Africans and very pure. Black empowerment and affirmative action took Khoisan coloured people out of the workplace. Sitting at home could only allow their state to worsen. 40 years of apartheid and 22 years of democracy makes it more than 60 years of being marginalised from all forms of development.
After 1950 the Khoisan were classified coloured and then the Group Areas Act saw them being moved from their land and other chiefs and kings took over their land. Trusts and livestock were also taken and they were forced into coloured townships with no way out.
The coloured township is still where we are. The other African indigenous people were given homeland states and under their kings and chiefs were not forced out, but the Khoisan was forced out. These chiefs and kings were on the government payroll while the Khoisans are not until this day.
These coloured townships are now historical landmarks and they are the property of the Khoisan classified coloured people, so stop interfering or land grabbing. The municipality should not encourage such things. I am a Khoisan Chief in Colita and the only land I have is in Colita and a claim has been lodged as a Chief.
This is my area of control and Zaailaager extends far more than just Colita, so respect our place. The High Court will set judgement for Zaailaager and it will be sad if you are on our boundary because we can’t claim rural land.
Umtshezi means Bushman, how can you remove an African name for another? I don’t know what hatred is against the Khoisan classified coloureds. If the government does not change this now, then the courts will.
We are no longer going to beg anyone for our forefather’s land. Colita only knows oppression where nothing happens. In 2017, we refuse to be humble; we will take action in and out of court
Chief Raymond Trollip
