African News Agency
RUSTENBURG: Former residents of Zwaarvirdiend, outside Rustenburg in North West, who were forcibly moved off their land, received financial compensation amounting to R7 million yesterday.
“Take care of this money, it will take care of you,” said North West Rural, Environmental and Agricultural Development MEC Manketse Tlhape.
The community was dispossessed of their land rights in 1939 and did not receive just and equitable compensation at the time.
The financial compensation awarded to eight families amounted to a total of R917 926.02 each. The claimants opted for financial compensation as most of the former residents were scattered all over the country or were elderly and had lost interest in farming.
Tlhape said the compensation was in line with reversing the legacy of the 1913 Natives Land Act and celebrating 20 years of freedom.
Maggy Motsoe lodged the claim for Portion 1 of the farm Zwaarvirdiend 234 JP in 1998 on behalf of her family. The farm is about 41km north-west of Rustenburg.
In about 1803, her great-grandfather, the late Thomas Mabuse Khonou, arrived in the area from Phalane, with eight children and herds of cattle.
They were allocated the land and settled in Zwaarvirdiend, commonly known as KwaMabuse, named after Khonou.
In 1939, they were ordered to moved to Molore outside Rustenburg, and were promised enough water and grazing for their cattle. But on arrival they found there was not enough water or grazing, and their cattle died as a result.
They were forced to abandon farming and instead settled in neighbouring towns.
Motsoe, explaining how she ended up lodging the claim, said her grandfather, Lucas Khonou, instructed her in 1998 to look for her great-grandfather’s grave.
“I struggled to find the grave and after three attempts I managed to locate the grave. It had a tombstone,” she said.
She said after locating the grave, she heard on the radio that those who were forcibly removed from their land could claim back their land.
Motsoe said it was also difficult to get all the beneficiaries together. “I am happy. Today we managed to meet and receive this compensation.”
Motsoe received an additional R32 000 and said she would use the money to buy cattle to add to her livestock and also pay off her car.