Friday will be a historic day for many residents of the Namakwa region.
Reporter – Isaac Cloete
SPRINGBOK:- On this day, the Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development, Mzwanele Nyhontso, will officially hand over title deeds to five groups of beneficiaries, representing hundreds of households, at the well-known and prestigious Springbok Guest Farm.
The beneficiaries include the Communal Property Associations (CPAs) of Concordia, Pella, Vioolsdrift, Leliefontein, as well as the Tattie Newman claimants, who will collectively receive ownership of 121,632 hectares of land.
This milestone will follows Thursday’s (today’s) ceremony in Alexander Bay, where communities in the Richtersveld were also handed title deeds. In total, an estimated 610,000 hectares of land are being formally transferred to beneficiaries in the Namakwa region this week.
According to the Department, finalizing these land claims was not an easy process.
“There were many community meetings, lengthy legal processes, and above all, government’s determination to address the injustices of the past. This effort must be recognized as a historic milestone for South Africa – to restore dignity, redress dispossession, and ensure transformation,” the department said in a statement.
A Long-Awaited Victory
The handover is the result of land claims lodged by Coloured communities who, before 1994, had been forcibly removed or dispossessed of their ancestral land. For many families, the wait has been decades long.
An elder from Leliefontein, Auntie Sara Cloete (72), expressed her emotions:
“For years we lived with the pain of knowing this land was ours, but seeing it in someone else’s hands.” “Today we finally hold proof in our hands.” “It is not just paper, it is our dignity restored.”
A community leader from Pella added:
“The struggle was not easy.” “There were disputes even among ourselves, and at times we almost lost hope.” “But today shows that perseverance and unity can bring justice.”
Significance Beyond Ownership
The title deeds are not just symbolic; they are legal documents proving rightful ownership of property, whether land or buildings. With them, communities can finally begin to invest in development, agriculture, and infrastructure without fear of eviction.
Local historian David Isaacs explained the broader impact:
“Many of these communities trace their connection to this land back centuries. For them, this is not just about farming, it is about reclaiming identity, culture, and belonging.”
The ceremonies in Springbok and Alexander Bay will be attended by provincial and local government officials, traditional leaders, and senior members of the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development.
As South Africa continues its journey of transformation, the Namakwa title deed handovers stand as a reminder that while the road to justice may be long, it is not impossible.
