The Land Claims Commission has coughed up a whopping R3.9 billion in financial compensation to more than 70 000 beneficiaries during the 2023-24 financial year.
In its annual report tabled in Parliament, the commission said a total of R4.7bn was paid in land claims during the year under review with at least R784 million spent on purchasing land, R43m on grants and R3.9bn on financial compensation.
It also said the restitution programme has to date been able to acquire 3.8 million hectares of land for the benefit of 465 005 households who constituted 2 376 976 beneficiaries.
“The State has, accumulatively, spent over R26 403 024 773 to acquire and roll out the land access while an accumulative amount of R26 014 087 961 billion was spent on the settlement of claims where claimants opted for financial compensation.”
The commission also said in total the government has allocated an accumulative amount of more than R57bn on restitution as at the end of March.
Chief land claims commissioner Nomfundo Ntloko said the commission had during the 2023-24 financial year set itself a target to settle 349 claims, but achieved a total of 361 settled claims.
“The target of 406 for the finalisation of claims was achieved with an additional 235 claims finalised. This represents an exceptional achievement of 158%,” Ntloko said.
The report showed that KwaZulu-Natal led the pack with settled claims at 85, followed by Limpopo with 75, Mpumalanga 59, Eastern Cape 58 and Western Cape 54.
There were 21 claims settled in Gauteng, Northern Cape five and two each in the Free State and North West.
“During the year under review the number of 72 758 beneficiaries benefited from the total number of 29 415 hectares awarded.”
The report also showed that of the 641 finalised claims, Gauteng recorded 287, Limpopo 97, Eastern Cape 63, KwaZulu-Natal 72, Western Cape 61, Mpumalanga 40, North West 10, Northern Cape six and Free State five.
The commission said 72 758 beneficiaries benefited from the total 29 415 hectares awarded from the 361 settled claims during the year under review.
Ntloko said the commission continued to settle outstanding old order claims in a steadily impressive manner.
“The ninth Lamosa report submitted at the end of January 2024 indicates a significant drop in the number of old order outstanding land claims.
“Whilst the eighth Lamosa report reported a total number of 6 302 outstanding claims at the end of June 2023, the ninth report – which accounts for only six months –indicates a reduction of outstanding claims by 163, thus taking the total outstanding claims to 6 139,” Ntloko said.
She was referring to the report the commission is required to submit at six months intervals to the Land Claims Court court in terms of the judgment known as Land Access Movement of South Africa (Lamosa), setting out the number of outstanding old order claims and how it intended to process them with an anticipated date of completion.
Ntloko also said in settling the claims, there has been the refinement of the claims business process to ensure that land use plans and other related settlement support elements were developed prior to the settlement of a claim, to allow for the seamless implementation of post-settlement support.
“We are constantly mindful that settlement of claims requires a supportive policy and institutional environment that includes pre-settlement and post-settlement support. Through this synergy value is added to land restitution that, ultimately, results in thriving, sustainable restitution projects and enterprises,” she said.
Meanwhile, Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke found that despite obtaining an unqualified audit opinion, the commission’s management did not implement adequate internal controls to ensure the preparation of accurate financial statements.
“Management did not implement proper record keeping in a timely manner to ensure that complete, relevant and accurate information is accessible and readily available to support financial information,” Maluleke said.
Cape Times