Paul Mashatile to Restore 627 Hectares of Ancestral Land in Mpumalanga

The land claim involves 18 households and 86 beneficiaries and covers over 627 hectares located within the jurisdiction of Govan Mbeki Local Municipality in Mpumalanga.

South Africa’s Deputy President Paul Mashatile is set to hand over land and title deeds to the Mtshoeni/Mtsweni family in Mpumalanga, marking a major step in restoring ancestral land rights and addressing historical injustices caused by dispossession.

The ceremony will take place on Friday in Secunda, within the Gert Sibande District, where the beneficiaries—organised under the Schulk Marhiqa Communal Property Association (CPA)—will officially receive ownership of land their ancestors once occupied.

Land Claim Dating Back Centuries

The land claim involves 18 households and 86 beneficiaries and covers over 627 hectares located within the jurisdiction of Govan Mbeki Local Municipality in Mpumalanga.

According to the Presidency, the claimant families trace their occupation of the land to as early as the 1700s, highlighting the deep historical roots of the community in the region.

The claim was formally lodged before the 31 December 1998 deadline under the Restitution of Land Rights Act, by Schulk Ngazimbi Marhiqa Mtshoeni, acting on behalf of the affected families.

Two Key Properties Restored

The land being restored includes two properties located on the Grootvlei 293 IS Farm, specifically:

• Portion 24

• Portion 26

Ownership will now be transferred to the claimant families through the Schulk Marhiqa Communal Property Association, which will manage the land on behalf of the beneficiaries.

Step Toward Justice and Dignity

The Presidency said the restitution forms part of the broader work carried out over the past three decades by the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights, which seeks to address the legacy of land dispossession under colonial and apartheid policies.

Government officials emphasised that land restitution is not only about returning property but also about restoring dignity, identity and opportunities for affected communities.

Each resolved claim and transferred title deed, the Presidency said, represents tangible progress toward justice and national transformation.

Senior Government Leaders to Attend

Deputy President Mashatile will be joined during the handover ceremony by Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development Mzwanele Nyhontso, along with local leaders and community members.

The event underscores government’s ongoing commitment to land reform and restitution programmes aimed at correcting historical land ownership inequalities in South Africa.