Expropriation notices have been issued on four pieces of land in Limpopo, the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights announced on Tuesday.
”The notice for expropriation is our last resort following lengthy negotiations with the land owners, which to-date have yielded no results,” said chief land claims commissioner Thozi Gwanya.
The expropriation notices concern four portions of the farm Turffontein 499 KR, in the Waterberg district.
The land claimants are from the Letlhakaneng Community in Bela Bela (formerly Warmbaths).
The exact manner of payment of compensation, including expropriation costs, would be determined at the point of expropriation, said commission spokesperson Pulane Molefe.
She said Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs Lulu Xingwana was empowered under the Restitution Act to issue expropriation notices restoring land rights to legitimate claimants.
The land owners had 21 days from delivery in which to respond, in writing, to the notices.
Molefe said the constitution required that compensation take into account the use of the land, acquisition history, the use of the property, market value, direct state investment and subsidy in the acquisition, capital improvements and the purpose of expropriation. — Sapa