Ncora Community to Reclaim Land After Decades of Dispossession

According to the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development, the Ncora community lost its land through racially discriminatory laws and policies introduced during apartheid.

The Ncora community in Cofimvaba, Eastern Cape, will officially regain ownership of its ancestral land this week, marking the end of a decades-long struggle for restitution. The handover of the title deed represents a significant step in restoring land rights to families who were displaced under apartheid-era policies.

Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development Mzwanele Nyhontso will present the title deed to the community on Friday, 31 July 2026, during a ceremony at the Ncora Irrigation Scheme in the Intsika Yethu Local Municipality.

Restoring Land Rights Lost Under Apartheid

According to the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development, the Ncora community lost its land through racially discriminatory laws and policies introduced during apartheid. The implementation of the Betterment Policy reduced indigenous land ownership to a limited Permission to Occupy status, stripping communities of secure land rights.

The dispossession took place between 1964 and 1972 under the Native Trust and Land Act of 1936, which reinforced the restrictions first introduced by the Land Act of 1913. These laws prevented many Black South Africans from owning and using land freely, leaving lasting social and economic consequences.

Irrigation Project Changed the Community

The construction of the Ncora Irrigation Scheme in 1972 led to the relocation of villages and the loss of residential and farming land. Large areas were converted for irrigation canals, dairy facilities, underground pipelines, silos, factories, administrative buildings and staff housing, forcing many families from the land they had occupied for generations.

Following a successful claim through the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights, community members chose the restoration of their land as their preferred form of compensation, allowing ownership to return to the rightful beneficiaries.

Milestone During Constitution Anniversary

The title deed handover comes as South Africa marks the 30th anniversary of its Constitution, highlighting the country's ongoing commitment to addressing historical injustices.

The Department of Land Reform and Rural Development said the Land Restitution Programme remains one of the government's most important nation-building initiatives, restoring not only land but also dignity to communities that were dispossessed under discriminatory laws.

Minister Nyhontso will be joined by provincial Members of the Executive Council (MECs), executive mayors, traditional leaders and senior government officials during the ceremony, which celebrates a new chapter for the Ncora community and its future generations.