Forty land claimants are one step closer to claiming back their land in Rondebosch East, after more than ten years after submitting their claims. On Monday, Mayor Patricia De Lille handed over erf E43855 in Rondebosch East at a ceremonial handing over to claimants. The Rondebosch East claimants submitted their land claim in 2001 and in 2008 the City sold the land to the Department of Land Affairs for restitution purposes.

Addressing claimants at the Rondebosch East Primary School, De Lille said as the custodians of land in the country, government needs to ensure that state-owned land is distributed.

Given that the land had been transferred in 2008 to the regional Land Claims Commission, De Lille said it is an indictment on government that land restitution claims have been drawn out.

“All in one generation, mother and father with their children were moved around from place to place, as if they were not born here or citizens of the country – that is the sad part of our history.”

The claimants currently reside in various parts of the City.

“Today there are claimants who now live in Southfield, Bonteheuwel, Gugulethu, Kuils River, Rylands and Grassy Park.

“The Group Areas Act was one of the Apartheid government’s greatest weapons used to cause division and create spatial divides, breaking up inclusive communities who lived together with a great sense of community for many years,” De Lille stated.

The mayor said she will be meeting with the Minister to speed up the transfer of the land.

Meanwhile, claimants expressed their gratitude to those who’s spearheaded the process, in particular, Kenneth Abrahams.

“When I think about the Crawford claim I think about Mr Abrahams. He did all the spadework…he dedicated all the hours and his lifetime. I thank him and I thank everybody else that was on the committee to get everybody else justice,” said Lutfiyah, the wife of deceased claimant, Natheem Jacobs.

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