By Justice Maluleke
The Office of the Regional Land Claims Commissioner has signed a settlement agreement with the Wolferoode land claimants in Waterval community hall in Waterval Vhembe district Limpopo Province.
The claim was lodged by Mangotlo Makwela Godfrey on behalf of the Wolferoode community for the farm Wolferoode 38 LT. It was lodged before the cut-off date of 31st of December 1998 and gazetted on the 19th of January 2007. The dispossession took place between 1930 and 1940.
The Wolferoode farm comprises of six portions of which three portions are owned by the state and the other remaining three portions are owned by private owners. The land is currently being used for agricultural purposes.
The amount of R20 288 800 00 was awarded to this claim which comprises 50 households. Each household will receive an equal amount of R405 778 00 as phase 1 of Wolferoode land claim. An additional five households opted for the restoration of the land instead of financial compensation.
signing of settlement agreement with land claimants.
A claimant verification was conducted and adopted by the office on the 16 to 18 August 2022.
The Chairperson of the committee Percy Mapimele (62) commented that he was happy with the Department for reaching such a concluding milestone in their lives since the process took long and wished that all claims could be resolved faster. He further added that he was delighted to be part of the beneficiaries to receive financial compensation and plans to do some house renovations with the money. Another community member Tokisa Martha Maruleng (63), a mother to three boys and two daughters said she plans to build a house for her family as she is currently sharing a two-room house with her last-born son.
