Lichtenburg, North West – In a significant milestone for land reform, Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development Mzwanele Nyhontso is in the North West province to formalize the return of nearly 60,000 hectares of land to three historically displaced communities near Lichtenburg.
The restitution effort centers on claims filed by communities who were forcibly removed from farms in the Lichtenburg and Mafikeng areas in 1936. Kenneth Matugani, spokesperson for the land claims commission, confirmed that the process is anchored in the 1994 Restitution of Land Rights Act, enacted to correct injustices created by the 1913 Native Land Act. That legislation restricted Black South Africans to only 13% of the country’s territory and entrenched racially based land dispossession.
“Individuals and communities dispossessed under racially discriminatory laws after June 1913—and who did not receive fair compensation—were eligible to submit claims to the commission,” Matugani explained. The window for lodging such claims closed on December 31, 1998, and the commission has been working through the backlog ever since.
Each claim underwent rigorous verification. Officials confirmed that the Lichtenburg-area claims satisfied all legal requirements: dispossession occurred under racial legislation after 1913, and no equitable redress was provided at the time. Following validation, the claims were published in the Government Gazette, triggering a statutory 90-day period for any objections from affected parties.
Thus far, more than 22,000 hectares have been restored to one of the beneficiary groups at an estimated value of R312 million. As part of the handover ceremony, Minister Nyhontso will visit restored agricultural sites—including poultry facilities and cattle-grazing lands—where farming equipment will be distributed to support immediate productivity.
Matugani stressed that transferring title is only the beginning. “Our mandate includes ensuring post-settlement support,” he said. “Other branches within the department collaborate to provide resources, training, and infrastructure so that restored farms remain economically viable and contribute to rural development.”
The event also includes participation from the North West MEC for Agriculture, Madoda Sambatha, underscoring provincial alignment with national restitution goals. The handover forms part of a broader presidential priority to accelerate land reform, strengthen tenure security, and promote inclusive agricultural growth.
This restitution marks a step toward addressing past land policies, while empowering communities with the assets and support needed to build sustainable livelihoods.