The rural town of uMzimkhulu stirred to life on Friday as its residents streamed down from the rolling hills to witness President Cyril Ramaphosa preside over the handing over of more than 17,000 hectares of land, much of it tree plantations, animal farms and vacant fields, to families dispossessed under colonialism and apartheid.
“This day is about dignity, about correcting centuries of injustice. It is not just a ceremony, but a restoration of what was stolen,” Ramaphosa declared.
But the celebrations unfolded under a watchful eye.
Uniformed and plainclothes police officers ringed the venue, their presence clearly visible as Ramaphosa rose to speak.
A group of protesters broke into chants and heckles, waving placards that read “Our land, not theirs” and “Stop political theft”.
For a moment, their voices threatened to drown out the proceedings until officers moved closer and the noise subsided, allowing the president to continue.
Many local farmers were also present, some of whom are leasing the very land on which the title deeds were issued.
Ramaphosa urged that the land handover should mark the beginning of renewal rather than neglect. He told the crowd that the land was not being returned to lie idle, but to become a foundation for food security, jobs and wealth creation.
“We are not here to hand over land that will lie fallow. We are here to ensure that this land becomes a source of food, jobs and wealth. The government will walk side by side with communities to make sure that these farms remain productive and that future generations benefit from them,” he said.
We waited for this day of return for more than 50 years. I had thought it would never come in my lifetime, but now it has.
— Recipient Rose Wagner
For many, the day was deeply personal. Rose Wagner, 63, said she was about seven years old when her family was forced out of the land they had called home for generations. “I remember growing up here with uncles, aunts and grannies. All our families were scattered. Our family moved to the Durban Coloured township of Austerville. We waited for this day of return for more than 50 years. I had thought it would never come in my lifetime, but now it has.”
Mabandla Dlamini, 56, chairperson of the St Paul community land claimants association, said the handover was the fruit of years of hard work. “We worked very hard to get our land, that is why some people are now jealous that our hard work is paying off. Now, our duty is to ensure that the land we acquired today is productive and able to generate wealth for all the community members involved.”
Yongama Nyangiwe, 37, whose community is claiming land that forms part of the Ndzimankulu Plantation and Merensky Tree Plantation, said the moment carried deep family significance. “We are overjoyed. Our late father, who was a respected local chief, often lamented how his land had been taken away by the apartheid government. We felt it was our responsibility to continue his struggle until justice was done. Today, our long prayers have been answered. Though he is no longer here to witness it, I believe he would be proud to see us reclaim what was lost.”
Yet not everyone was celebrating. Lawrence Sosibo, 58, one of the leading protesters, dismissed the process as a scam. “It is very sad that our people were victimised by the Boers, but it is even more painful that today our government, our president, is presiding over the handing of our land to people who do not deserve it, leaving us as spectators as our land is stolen from us again.”
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