The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo will call upon the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Land Reform to resolve conflict between factions of the Kranspoort Community Property Association (CPA) which threaten the ongoing viability of this restitution award – this following a recent oversight visit to the property by the DA.
The restitution claim was decided by the Land Claims Court and the property handed over to the Kranspoort Community Property Association (CPA) in 1999 – more than 25 years ago. The property once housed a mission and school. Reports indicate that Dr Mamphela Ramphele attended the school and that both her parents taught at the school.
Following the DA’s oversight visit to the property it is apparent that the CPA is divided. One group started demolishing most of the buildings on the site during 2024, selling off bricks, window frames and doors, whilst the second group opened a case of malicious damage to property during September 2024 at the Mara Police Station. From the oversight visit it appears that SAPs have done nothing to stop the wanton destruction and selling of assets which appears to be ongoing.
To date, the church and school (both of which should have been protected in terms of the National Heritage Act), both dormitories, and the rectory and its two outside buildings had been destroyed. Only two buildings remain: the house where the interpreter used to live, and the community hall is now used as a cattle kraal. Meanwhile, sites are being demarcated and allocated, and a squatter camp is developing at the entrance to the property and next to the R522. Apart from a few goats and cattle roaming around, no substantive agricultural activity was noted.
During the oversight visit allegations were also made that members of SAPS were grazing their own cattle on the property without permission and at no cost.
The 2022/23 annual report by the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform on the status of CPAs paints a bleak and disturbing picture, with the vast majority of CPA’s found to be dysfunctional and unstable, and non-compliant with the provisions of the Community Property Associations Act – as is evident from this oversight visit.
Government has clearly failed in its responsibility to support and oversee the performance and compliance of CPA’s and the success of land reform. Furthermore, we question the efficacy of the current ANC-inspired policy regime.
As the DA we support land reform that works – that empowers individuals through ownership and secure tenue, and as a means of economic empowerment, and not just redress