The Premier of the Mpumalanga Province, Mr David Mabuza
Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, Mr Gugile Nkwinti  
Minister of Environmental Affairs, Mrs Edna Molewa
Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, Mrs Candith Mashego-Dlamini
Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs, Ms Barbara Thomson
MECs
Chairperson of the Mpumalanga House of Traditional Leaders, Kgoshi Lameck Mokoena
Chairperson of the Limpopo House of Traditional Leaders, Kgoshi M.S Dikgale
His Majesty King Toni Mphephu Ramabulana of the Vhavhenda Nation
Executive Mayor of the Vhembe District Municipality, Councillor Tshitereke Matibe
The Mayor of the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality, Cllr Renias Khumalo
The Chief Land Claims Commissioner, Ms Nomfundo Ntloko-Gobodo
CEO for SANParks, Mr Fundisile Mkhetheni
Representative of the Mpumalanga claimants, Mr Perry Sambo
Representative of the Limpopo claimants, Mr M.W Chauke
Members of the Community
Fellow South Africans,

We are truly pleased to join you today for an important event in the transformation programme in our country.

We have come together about land, to restore the rights of our people who were dispossessed.

Land has been a fundamental issue in the struggle for liberation.

Former ANC President, AB Xuma summed the importance of land accurately in his opening address to the 1941 ANC national conference.

He said: “The fundamental basis of all wealth and power is the ownership and acquisition of freehold title to land. From land, we derive our existence. We derive our wealth in minerals, food, and other essentials. On land we build our homes. Without land we cannot exist.

“To all men of whatever race or colour land, therefore, is essential for their wealth, prosperity, and health. Without land-rights any race will be doomed to poverty, destitution, ill-health and lack of all life`s essentials.”

Today we are contributing to the reversal of the apartheid legacy by compensating six communities, three from Limpopo, and another three from Mpumalanga, all who were dispossessed through harsh apartheid laws.

But as we celebrate this milestone in the history of Land Restitution in our country, it is with sadness that we remember the recent passing away of Chief Muyexe a few days after the approval of his community's land claim.

Compatriots,

Namhlanje usuku olubalulekile njengoba kuzonikezwa isinxephezelo kulabo abathathathelwa umhlaba wabo la esiqiwini i-Kruger National Park.

Although Kruger National Park is considered a conservation flagship, its treasure also constitutes a collective memory, culture and tradition of those who were dispossessed of this land.

The claims which we are settling today form part of the various land claims lodged by different communities from the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces in respect of the Park.

These were all lodged before the first window of opportunity for the lodgement of claims, prior to the 1998 cut-off date.

In settling these claims, we are giving effect to a Cabinet decision taken in 2008 regarding equitable redress as the only option for settling all land claims on the Kruger National Park.

The Cabinet decision took into consideration the status of the Kruger National Park as a national and international asset, which needed to be conserved for the benefit of the whole nation. 

The decision paved a way for engagement with the affected communities, culminating in the resolution to settle the claims in two Phases.

Phase 1 involved the awarding of financial compensation, while Phase 2 will involve a Beneficiation Scheme aimed at stimulating much needed economic activities within the affected municipal areas where the claimant communities reside.

Today we are awarding a total amount of 84 million rand to six communities as part of Phase 1 of the settlement of their claims on the Kruger National Park, in respect of land measuring in total extent of three hundred and eighteen thousand hactares.

E-Mpumalanga Province, mithathu imiphakathi ezothola isinxephezelo.

The Mhlanganisweni Community and Sibuyi Family comprising 116 households, are receiving and a total of 12.8 million rand.
 
The Mathebula Ngirivhane community with 135 households, is receiving a total amount of 15 million rand.
 
The Mahashi community with 191 households is receiving a total of 21 million rand.

Two outstanding claims for the Phabeni and Gomondwane communities are still being attended to.

From the Limpopo province, three communities are also receiving financial compensation as follows:

The Madonsi/Nwazekuzeku community with 135 households is receiving a total of 14.9 million rand.
 
The Ndindani community with a total of 52 households is receiving a total of 5.7 million rand.
 
The Muyexe community which comprises 128 households is receiving a total of 14.2 million rand.

Other outstanding claims are still being attended to, involving the Makahane-Marithenga community; the Makhuva Mathebula community; and the Baphalaborwa communities, comprising Baphalaborwa ba Mashishimale, Baphalaborwa ba Maseke, Baphalaborwa ba Selwane and Baphalaborwa ba Makhushane. 

Ladies and gentlemen,

The settlement model took into account the significance of the Kruger National Park as a home to an unparalleled diversity of wildlife and embraced an effort to save this National Monument for generations to come.

It was therefore agreed that the settlement model will be one that takes the very important role of conservation into account.

In our first phase, financial compensation is viable because  Kruger National Park claimants are not able to return to their land. Government is thus compensating them in lieu of the improvements that they lost on the land, as guided by our policy.

I am pleased to mention that a 1% community fund, collected from tourism income was introduced in 2014 and these funds are ring-fenced for community beneficiation.

An amount of approximately R6.5million per annum is generated through this fund.

Since the Fund’s inception, the following facilities were completed and handed over to communities:

An administration block to Dumisani High School at Cork Village,
Computer laboratory to Masiza High School at Mbaula Ranch,
Science laboratories at Tlakulani and Sibusisiswe high schols in Mninginingi B and Matsulu villages respectively,

A kitchen facility and playground for Grade R learners at Takheleni Primary School and many other projects throughout the country.

In the 2016/17 financial year and in consultation with the affected communities, we have prioritised the building of four science laboratories in Mbuyane High School; Mahlale Secondary School; Lepato High School and Makuya Secondary School, covering both Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces.

A conference centre has been constructed and named Nombolo Mdhluli Conference Centre, which is a symbol of acknowledging and honouring our communities.

Albasini Ruins, which is a cultural site next to Phabeni and Masorini Cultural Site in Phalaborwa have been established in recognition of the local communities.

Through the Kids in Parks programme, learners and their teachers are afforded an opportunity to come through the park and overnight for 3 days learning and enjoying environment in the park.

I was told that the programme is currently running in this park and 500 learners from neighbouring communities are actually inside.

We are also pleased that the Park continues to provide jobs in the area.  On any given day, approximately 2243 workers leave their homes to come and earn their living from this park.

Thousands more do the same in other national parks and nature reserves across the South African landscape.

These communities will now benefit directly from the international tourism created by this world renowned Kruger National Park.

As government we remain committed to implementing the country’s land restitution programme.

In order to ensure that everyone who lost land rights in the past as a result of past racially discriminatory laws and practices have an opportunity for redress, the lodgement of land claims has been reopened until 30 June 2019 to accommodate those who missed the initial cut-off deadline.

Congratulations to all the claimant communities for your patience and persevering spirit, let us continue to make ours a winning nation, and together let us continue to move South Africa forward!

I thank you

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria