R42 million compensation for Wayeni’s land claims

It was a day of jubilation last Saturday for the Wayeni community when they received more than R42 million in compensation for a land claim from the Limpopo Regional Land Claims Commission. The event was held at Wayeni Primary School.

The various Venda and Tsonga tribes were removed from the area during the apartheid years and forced to live separately. The communities filed a land claim and the recommendation was made that the people involved rather be paid for the land. Almost 1 300 claimants will now share the R42 017 176.48 that was paid out.

During the event, chief Wisani Melele Wayeni expressed his concern over the money that is being paid out for compensation. He said that the whole R42 million should not go to the claimants. He reckoned that some of the money should go to the development of the community. “The community needs a lot of changes. Some portion of the money should be for the development of our community,” he said.

Chief Wayeni encouraged the residents to use the money effectively. “This money is for your compensation, for the forced removal from your land. I urge all of you to use the money wisely,” he said.

A total of 1 262 land claimants received a total of R118 000 each from the Limpopo Regional Land Claims Commission.

The new mayor of Makhado Municipality, Shonisani Mildred Sinyosi, also encouraged the claimants to use the money effectively. “The money should be invested for the future. Don't just blow the money away. Start businesses with this money,” she said.

“Today’s official handing over of the vouchers is part of the service delivery to our people and the fulfilment of the mandate given to us by our people to eliminate the legacy of apartheid,” she said.

She acknowledged the people who refused to stay in the past and lodge a land complaint with the land claims commission. “I thank Mr Gezane Maluleke on behalf of the Wayeni community, Mr Vatatsaka Piet Malele of the Malele families and Mr Sikhetlho Johannes Mahlangu for their brave efforts, together with their communities, in lodging the land claims with the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights,” she said.

Date:26 August 2016

By: Mbulaheni Ridovhona

The 22-year-old Mbulaheni (Gary) Ridovhona has been passionate about journalism to the extent that he would buy himself a copy of weekly Univen students' newsletter, Our Voice. After reading, he would write stories about his rural village, Mamvuka, and submit them to the very newsletter for publication. His deep-rooted love for words and writing saw him register for a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies at the University of Venda, and joined the Limpopo Mirror team in February 2016 as a journalism intern.

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