South Africa's land reform: Mashatile rejects 1652 cut-off date

Deputy President Paul Mashatile says the government is fast-tracking processes to enable land to be transferred to the rightful owners.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile on Thursday said the government does not intend to adopt 1652 as a cut-off date for land reform and restitution.

Mashatile said Section 25 of the Constitution provides for restitution claims for dispossessions after June 19, 1913, and the Restitution of Land Rights Act of 1994 operationalises the constitutional provision.

“These provisions are adequate in dealing with the issue of land reform in South Africa. Any change to this framework would require lengthy constitutional and legislative processes, which will further be complicated by developments that have taken place in our country over three centuries,” he said.

Mashatile was responding to Freedom Front Plus MP Wynand Boshoff during the question-and-answer session in the National Assembly.