The South African government says that the annual average increase in spending on the land restitution programme between 2000/01 and 2006/07 is 31,5%, according to the estimates of national expenditure.
The estimates, released on Budget day, Wednesday February 18, showed that total expenditure had increased in the Department of Land Affairs from R770-million to R1,7-billion between 2000/01 and 2003/04 — an average increase of 29%. The majority of the increase had been directed to the land restitution programme, with expenditure rising from R265-million in 2000/01 to an expected R1,4-billion in 2006/07.
“These increases will go to accelerating the pace of restitution to meet the target of finalising the process by December 2005,” reported the estimates.
The department’s land restitution activities are effected through the Commission on Land Rights. Settlements allow for economies of scale to be maximised through dealing with individual claims in batches. This has resulted in “a significant increase in the number of claims settled with the cumulative total at 42Â 556, which is 53,4% of all claims lodged”.
The estimates note that the commission began to set output targets in line with the presidential directive in 2002 to complete the process of land restitution within three years — by 2005.
“But the actual cash outflow will take place beyond this period. A number of residual claims will remain unsettled after December 2005, such as those relating to untraceable claimants, highly disputed claims and claims in court,” noted the report. — I-Net Bridge