Four Consumer Line readers whose parents were forcefully removed from their land after the promulgation of the Land Act, have yet to be compensated.
Four Consumer Line readers whose parents were forcefully removed from their land after the promulgation of the Land Act, have yet to be compensated.
Peter Figlan, Gilbert Busakwe, Mphikeleli Mdunge and Abel Shongwe said their claims were approved four years ago when they opted for houses instead of cash. The cash amount offered was R50000, but all of them felt that the house option was best.
Figlan said he chose a house because money could not match the value of the house his parents lost during the apartheid era.
Busakwe said his siblings were staying with relatives and needed a communal home. So taking money would not solve their problem.
They all said the official who was handling their matter promised to build their homes near Kliptown.
When the houses were finally built they were given to other people. Our readers claimed they later requested that their compensations be converted to money, but their requests were turned down since government had approved their housing subsidies.
"If housing subsidies were granted and houses built, where is ours?" asked Busakwe.
"We addressed Mshengu Makipi about the matter, the project co-coordinator who could not help, but referred them to other unhelpful officials," they said.
The Commission on Restitution of Land Rights is investigating why these readers had to wait so long for their compensation after approval.
Housing promises not kept
Four Consumer Line readers whose parents were forcefully removed from their land after the promulgation of the Land Act, have yet to be compensated.
Four Consumer Line readers whose parents were forcefully removed from their land after the promulgation of the Land Act, have yet to be compensated.
Peter Figlan, Gilbert Busakwe, Mphikeleli Mdunge and Abel Shongwe said their claims were approved four years ago when they opted for houses instead of cash. The cash amount offered was R50000, but all of them felt that the house option was best.
Figlan said he chose a house because money could not match the value of the house his parents lost during the apartheid era.
Busakwe said his siblings were staying with relatives and needed a communal home. So taking money would not solve their problem.
They all said the official who was handling their matter promised to build their homes near Kliptown.
When the houses were finally built they were given to other people. Our readers claimed they later requested that their compensations be converted to money, but their requests were turned down since government had approved their housing subsidies.
"If housing subsidies were granted and houses built, where is ours?" asked Busakwe.
"We addressed Mshengu Makipi about the matter, the project co-coordinator who could not help, but referred them to other unhelpful officials," they said.
The Commission on Restitution of Land Rights is investigating why these readers had to wait so long for their compensation after approval.