Cosatu opposes R2-million land deal
THE Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in Limpopo has criticised the "meagre" payment of just more than R2-million to the Molekana clan for land dispossessed from them and on which Anglo Platinum has a mining operation outside Mokopane in Limpopo.
NOT right: Dan SebabiIf the community who owns the land is not a beneficiary of BEE, who then is?
Cosatu provincial secretary Dan Sebabi yesterday described the settlement as "daylight robbery" because the clan lost all the rights to the land, including ownership, for a payment totalling R2295300, that was shared among 42 households last week. The payment to a further 27 households, who did not register in time, will still be processed.
The clan was removed from its land without compensation between 1969 and 1970 by the apartheid regime after the discovery of minerals in the area. The clan later lodged a land claim in accordance with the Restitution of Land Rights Act.
The department of rural development and land reform, through the land restitution programme, paid the clan the more than R2-million last week.
Molekana land claims committee chairman Leseja Tjatji earlier told Sowetan they opted for cash to avoid infighting in the clan over the possible payment of rent for the land from Anglo Platinum.
Waterberg district municipality mayor Rosina Mogotlane praised the move and appealed to the clan to use the money wisely.
But Sebabi yesterday told Sowetan: "What do the clan do with the R2-million, while Anglo Platinum continues to deplete the minerals from the land? They have now lost all the rights to the land and have been driven further into poverty."
Sebabi believed the community should have been advised by the department to have opted for shares and other social and economic benefits from Anglo Platinum.
"This raises the question of compliance with BEE. If the community who owns the land is not a beneficiary of BEE, who then is? You might find that some politicians are BEE partners," Sebabi said.
Limpopo rural development and land reform spokesman Motlatsi Lebea was unable to provide details of the land settlement agreement.
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MorenaWaPolelo
2 million only tjesses COSATU must interveneReport Abuse
Budapat
COSATU is all over the show lately, is it a labour movement, politcal party or NGO? you VAVI, SDUMO and your boys must engage GOVT on LABOUR BOKING and stop being so REACTIVE on communities that accepted the offer, are you trying to say they were missled?Report Abuse
MommaC
Cosatu jumping in before knowing what they are talking about again. I doubt they have even spoken to any of the land claimants.According to the original story - Anglo paid that to the 54 members (more to be paid when the other claims are verified) . They also paid 4.3 million to the communities where they were moved to. They also contracted to put in an internet cafe and a community centre. They also opened their labour programmes to the community and are going to be paying rent to the communities.
The claimants didn't want the land as they felt that would cause clan fights so what more would Cosatu like the mine to do?
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Bolander
Thanks Momma for the further info!Report Abuse
MorenaWaPolelo
@MommaCThanks for the info, I think SOWETAN is also missleading radicals like my self they need to have both sides of the story. However MOMMA I doubt if the claimant would not want the land due to clan fight, the land is a very sensitive issue amongst clans and business must not ignore that fact before purchasing. the land has minerals I dout if its worth 6bars.
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MommaC
MorenaWaPoleloThe clan leader said that they had seen a lot of the other land claims in the area create a lot of infighting and the land being unused whilst the beneficiaries just got poorer. There was also an issue with the vil1age that took them in when they were kicked off the land. Somehow the clan chiefs of the vi1lage that took them in seems to think they are now under their 'rule' and the land should be managed by them and not the claimants. I presume there has been inter=marriages and all sorts of other integration so maybe they were really looking to avoid a family type feud. Either way, it was their land and their decision and I think the mine has been fair.
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Printa
Why are they only making noise after this payment is done.Some one must intervened and throw the decision to pay this clan such a small fee for land, thrown out of court.
Stupid people, how can they be happy for sharing a stupid R2M?
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MorenaWaPolelo
@MommaCIm of the view that extensive consultation should be done so that the clan recieves what the fair and just...I know Anglo they had the same excuse in DRC where people were brushed with a couple of dollars aside because of the so called in fighting. Due dilegance must be afforded to this community as I doubt if the price is fair!!!
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MommaC
MorenaWaPoleloI guess it is what the community wanted so our opinion is irrelevant. They seem happy with it and (if Anglo keep their promises) it will certainly uplift the entire area so it really isn't our place to judge. I was just unhappy that Cosatu (who has absolutely no business getting involved with this) went off on a rant without even bothering to check on the facts. A bit like Vavi and his VAT foolishness
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MorenaWaPolelo
@MommaCI guess it is what the community wanted so our opinion is irrelevant. They seem happy with it and (if Anglo keep their promises) it will certainly uplift the entire area so it really isn't our place to judge. I was just unhappy that Cosatu (who has absolutely no business getting involved with this) went off on a rant without even bothering to check on the facts. A bit like Vavi and his VAT foolishness
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Perhaps it is not our place...as long as the community is not exploited
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