‘Spend land claim money wisely’ – mayor
The Wayeni and Dzumeri community land claimants will share R82 million in compensation for land rights infringements that took place during the Apartheid era.
LIMPOPO – Greater Giyani Mayor, Sasavona Mathebula, urged the 351 Giyani families who received compensation from the Land Claims Commission to spend the money wisely.
The mayor made this statement in Dzumeri village during the handover of vouchers to the value of R49,2 million to certain community members by the Office of the Regional Land Claims Commission on Sunday.
The families had, according to claims, been dispossessed of their land between 1967 and 1968 on the basis that they were a Tsonga-speaking community, and the land they resided on was earmarked for the settlement of a Sotho-speaking community.
“The influx of money often causes disagreement between family members, I therefore would like to urge all the recipients of the vouchers to spend the money wisely and to avoid conflict where possible,” she said.
R38,9 million set aside for the compensation funds. Each household received R110 947. An additional R10, 3 million has been set aside for the development purposes of the community.
Although the claim was lodged in 1998, it took a long time to address it due to disagreement between the claimants. “When we initially lodged our claim, our plan was to use the entire amount set aside for us to develop our community, but along the way, some of the residents changed their minds and said they needed the money. Now we will only have R10,3 million to develop the community,” explained the Chairperson of the Claims Committee, Samuel Zitha, who is also a recipient of the funds.
Guitar Mabunda, one of the recipients who will share the compensation funds with four other family members, was very happy to receive the funds. “I’m going to use the money to do restorations at home,” he said.
Hosi Dzumeri (Divila Mabunda) appealed to the commission to provide funds to people who were told to move before the GGs (government trucks) came to the area to move residents from their homes.
“There are many of those who were told to move before being forcefully removed by the GGs. They did not make any claims and we ask that the government consider them as well,” he said.
