OFFICE OF THE CHIEF LAND CLAIMS COMMISSIONER

184 Jeff Masemola Street, PRETORIA, 0002. Private Bag X 833, PRETORIA, 0001
Tel: (012) 312-8883| Fax: (012) 321 0428

PRESS RELEASE

SUBJECT: THOUSANDS OF RURAL COMMUNITIES REACHED THROUGH

RESTITUTION MOBILE OFFICES
EMBARGO: IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE:

25 APRIL 2016

Since the reopening of lodgement of land claims, more than 100 000 households
from remote rural communities have been reached through the land claims mobile
offices introduced in April 2015 by the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights. As
a result of this initiative 27696 land claims were lodged through the mobile
lodgement offices alone during the first year of roll-out, bringing hope to many
victims of land dispossession across the country.
The decision to reopen the lodgement of land claims was informed by the fact that
many individuals and communities who qualified to lodge land claims did not lodge
due to lack of awareness of the programme. We are quite pleased with the progress
made so far in reaching people in far flung rural areas through these mobile
lodgement offices , announced Chief Land Claims Commissioner, Nomfundo
Ntloko-Gobodo.
Many people who were assisted through the mobile lodgement offices have
expressed their appreciation for these offices which have made it easy for them to
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lodge their claims this time around. By visiting these remote rural areas, the six
mobile offices (the Sol Plaatje, Gemsbok, Mabulandila-Vulindlela, Inkanyezi,
Maropeng, and Thembekile) have provided relief for those families who otherwise
would not have had the resources to travel to our 14 Lodgement offices in all 9
Provinces across the country.

Mr Alfred Msibi (97) and Mrs Maria Sibisi (79) from Mpumalanga Province were
among many of the elderly people across the country who have been assisted to
lodge their land claim in their village through these mobile offices. We will be glad if
the process can be quicker and for government to compensate us for our loss. We
have had no peace since the day we were dispossessed of our ancestral land,
commented the two senior citizens whose hopes have been revived by the visit of
the Mabulandila-vulindlela mobile lodgement office to their area.

From the northern parts of the country in Limpopo to the small Karoo towns in the
Northern Cape, right through to the most southern parts of the country in the
Western Cape, the mobile land claims offices have been warmly received by
persons who were dispossessed of their land after 19 June 1913 as a result of
racially motivated laws and practices, who feel they have been thrown a lifeline to
get redress for their loss and suffering.

A total of 4 busses and 2 all-terrain 4 x 4 trucks specially equipped with technology

to receive applications on site will continue to travel across the country to receive
these claims until 30 June 2019; this is part of the drive to speed up delivery on the
land Restitution programme. Combined together, these mobile lodgement offices
have the capability to reach communities irrespective of the geo-spatial challenges.

Since the introduction of the Restitution of Land Rights Amendment Act in July 2014
making provision for the lodgement of new land claims for a further period of five
years until 30 June 2019, cumulatively a total of 143,720 new claims have been
lodged with the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights across the country as at
31 March 2016.

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As a result of the intervention of the mobile lodgement offices visiting communities

to assist them to lodge claims, we are confident that we will have reached a
significant number of prospective claimants by June 2019. The large number of
claimants reached so far is evidence that we are making good progress with the
mobile lodgement offices campaign, explains the Commissioner.

Information regarding the dates on which the mobile lodgement offices will be visiting
the different areas across the country is announced through local communication
channels in each area. Information on the schedules of the mobile lodgement offices
for all the provinces, as well as what is required to lodge a claim is available on the
Department of Rural Development and Land Reforms website: www.drdlr.gov.za.

Issued by the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights

Enquiries:
Ms Pulane Molefe
Manager: Communication
Commission on Restitution of Land Rights
Tel: (012) 312 9814, Cell: 0718558369
Email: Pulane.Molefe@drdlr.gov.za

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