R9,6m paid for land claims
2005-09-29
A TOTAL of 1108 land claim beneficiaries in Paarl received total payments of R9,6 million in compensation on Saturday.
“I don’t think any amount of money will pay for your pain and enormous battle to start all over again,” said Beverley Jansen, Regional Land Claim Commissioner in the Western Cape.
“This is just to say we acknowledge your pain.”
This batch of claims from former tenants was settled by way of the Standard Settlement Offer (SSO) being offered by die state as an option to resolve restitution claims as speedily and amicably as possible.
The 375 primary claimants, including their direct descendants, received an average amount of R25 580.
This is in line with the Department of Housing’s current housing subsidy and SSO policy of the Commission for tenancy rights lost at the time of dispossession.
The second batch of tenants will receive compensation at a later stage.
The settlement of land claims in Paarl is an ongoing process and it is nearing completion, according to the Commission.
Claimants who owe the Land Claims Commission outstanding documentation to complete their claims, are urged to submit the required documents as soon as possible.
The Commission has now settled 62 127 claims countrywide, costing over R4,9 billion and is committed to settle all claims lodged before 31 December 1998. Please note that you cannot lodge new claims.
Communities and individuals who need land, but who do not qualify for the Restitution programme, should contact the Department of Land Affairs on 426-2947.
The Department might be able to accommodate their land needs under the other two land reform programmes, namely, the Land Redistribution programme and the Land Tenure programme. You can also access the website, http://land.pwv.gov.za.
For enquiries about land claims, phone the Commission on 426-2930.
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