A Limpopo royal family has vowed to legally challenge the government for rejecting its land claim, in which it was demanding the ownership of a huge portion of the Kruger National Park (KNP).
Chief Patrick Hlongwane from Mxiyani royal family, based in Giyani, said the family’s claim launched in 1998 was rejected in 2010 on the ground that the land was seized before 1913, regardless of all the evidence provided.
Currently, the government only allows communities and families whose land was seized after the promulgations of the Natives Land Act to claim it back.
‘Join us and fight against the system’
Hlongwane was appointed three years ago and started gathering evidence preparing for the challenge.
“KNP management agrees with us that our evidence is valid, but our claim was invalidated. Very soon we will approach a court of law to challenge the decision
This is a big issue because if the claim succeeds, we will repossess a huge portion of KNP, which will include the Mopani Rest Camp in Phalaborwa, Limpopo,” he said.
“We are calling on all affected people to join us and fight against this system which is failing us.”
‘The family can win this’
Department of agriculture, rural development, land and environmental affairs spokesperson Zithini Dlamini declined to comment because she was on leave
Tony Mathe, a lawyer and land disputes expert, said the family stood a good chance of winning the case should it decide to go to court.
“The family can win this. It is an important case given that the laws cannot prevent claims if the claimants have evidence of dispossession.”
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