Manyeleti land restored to community after successful claim

Manyeleti Nature Reserve in Mpumalanga has been handed over to the community after a successful land claim, and it will continue operating normally.

The 23 000-hectare nature reserve, which is home to animals including elephants, wild dogs, hyenas, lions and rhinos, is situated in Manyeleti in Bushbuckridge and shares a border with the Kruger National Park.

Last week, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Mzwanele Nyhontso handed over 10 title deeds to the Manyeleti residents who successfully claimed the land.

10 title deeds handed to Manyeleti residents

According to the department, the title deeds were registered about two weeks ago and the minister officially handed them over to the beneficiaries.

In an interview with The Citizen, Sam Nkosi, chief director for land restitution support with the Mpumalanga office of land reform and rural development, said: “The claimants indicated that they are willing to continue to use the farm for conservation and ecotourism activities that are currently being practised.

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“They have commenced discussions to agree and sign a co-management agreement with the Mpumalanga Tourism Parks Agency (MTPA) to manage the reserve together.

“The finalisation of the co-management agreement will depend on terms and conditions agreed on.

“The department of agriculture, rural development, land and environmental affairs, department of finance, economic development and tourism and land development, as well as the post-settlement support directorate [within the department] have been approached to advise and assist in developing a sustainable development plan for this land claim.”

Plan for land claim

Nkosi added the parties had agreed to look into signing an agreement with the current concessionaires.

The land reform and rural development department said the farm would be owned by the Manyeleti Communal Property Association (CPA), which consists of the members of the community and will be assisted by the MTPA as the management authority.

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The community successfully proved that they were the original settlers who had lived on the subject properties in the early 1900s. The claimant communities have claimed various land parcels situated within the Bushbuckridge local municipality, the statement read.

“The claimed properties include, among others, all properties forming part of the reserve and they are all currently owned by the state. The claim was lodged by the traditional leader on behalf of his respective community and families.

“This claim was lodged before the cut-off date of 31 December, 1998, as set out in the Restitution of Land Rights Act, 1994 (Act No. 22 Page 1 of 1994). The Manyeleti land claim comprises 172 households and 1 472 beneficiaries,” the statement cited.

172 households and 1 472 beneficiaries

According to the document, the handover also seeks to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Restitution of Land Rights Act by highlighting the significant progress made in land restitution, ciaries and educating the public on the transformative impact of land restitution.

MTPA spokesperson Simphiwe Shungube said: “MTPA will continue to work with the community to make sure that the facility remains profitable as a business.” CPA chair Hendrick Makhuvele said the community was happy about becoming the new owners of the reserve.

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“It has been a difficult journey that started in 1998 until today. The claim was delayed by the infighting that was taking place among us as community members, but now we have stopped fighting.

We want to focus on using the facility to create jobs for the people situated within the 11 communities situated near the reserve.

“Within the CPA we have business people who are willing to invest and keep the business profitable.

We will continue to work with the government to make sure that this tourist attraction site continues to do well,” said Makhuvele.