IN the first successful land claim dating back to the colonial era, more than 900 members of the Hlubi tribe are set to return to their ancestral lands in northern KwaZulu-Natal. The claim is for some 8600 hectares, comprising 43 farms near Estcourt. The transfer, which is expected to be made official in November, will be assisted with a state grant of close to R7-million. The Hlubi tribe’s struggle for their land dates back to the late 1800s when their leader Chief Langalibalele, who clashed with the British colonial government, was arrested and the land confiscated.