Land: most want cash

CLAIMANTS: 11.8% OF APPLICANTS TAKE LAND AND 56 040 WANT MONEY

- Jarryd Westerdale

The overwhelming majority of the people who won land claims chose money over title deeds.

The department of land reform and rural development shed light on the number of claims processed since 1998 and revealed the challenges facing the adjudication process.

An organisation that has tracked the land debate from the onset also shared its insights into why cash payouts were most preferred over farming.

Claims listed by the department were submitted under the Restitution of Land Rights Act.

The response to a parliamentary question released on 28 November stated that 79 696 claims were lodged by the 1998 deadline.

A total of 64 354 were finalised in favour of the complainants, 5 755 did not end in settlements while the remainder were yet to be finalised.

Just 8 314 – 11.8% – of the successful claimants took possession of the land while 56 040 chose financial compensation.