Baphalane finally received their land back

By Joshua Motsomane – Thabazimbi Local Municipality

THABAZIMBI – Nooitgedacht Farm, with some portions, situated within the Thabazimbi Local Municipality, Waterberg District, Limpopo was finally returned to the rightful owners on the 30th of June 2008.
Hundreds of family members received their title deeds on Sunday for the farms where their forefathers were dispossessed in 1959. Families who occupied the properties before the demarcations and their subsequent removal on the farm by Mr Lucas Willem Botha are the Molefe, Mosito, Mpete, Khunou, Radebe, Masilo and others. Most of the Baphalane moved to stay in areas like Hammanskraal, Skilpadnest, Ra-Mokokastad and Bojating.
The Mayor of Thabazimbi Local Municipality, Cllr Naledi L Matlou also graced the occasion, in his welcome address he indicated that as the local municipality a need for Integration especially on the IDP is needed to include the Baphalane Community and further said that as the municipality the issue of basic services will need proper coordination in order to assist the community.
He further encouraged youth to take part in the development of the land as most people attending were adults. The issue of skills transfer was also highlighted by Cllr Matlou to assist the community so as to use the farm for the good course.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs Lulu Zingwana, Acting Chief Land Claims Commissioner Blessing Mphela described the event as historical. He further said that since 1959 Nooitgedacht farm have been owned by people who dispossessed it, but today they will be on the rightful people’s hand, Baphalane Community.
Mr Mphela said the department had bought the farms from the owners for R80 million. One of the beneficiaries, who is also the Chairperson of Communal Property Association (CPA), Mr L Modibedi shared the same sentiments with the Mayor of youth involvement as most of today’s youth are not participating in land development issues. He further made some plead to the government to assist in the interventions of making sure that the land is used for the intended usage and also with the plans and programme of land management.
Kgosi KA Ramokaka of the Baphalane tribe said that they could finally enjoy the fruits of a democratic government. He further said that in 1998 they started the process of getting their land back as the rightful owners. It was not easy because some of our people died along the way. Even today, our forefathers are happy as they can see that we managed to get our land back after all these years.
Kgosi further said that the “government has played a major role in helping us get our farms back. What we need now is the assistance to make these farms profitable and fight the unemployment in our communities”.