A land restitution event intended to restore more than 60,000 hectares to three North West communities descended into disorder when Minister Mzwanele Nyhontso arrived late to the handover ceremony. Members of the Bodibe and Lotlhakane communities expressed frustration over the administration of their Communal Property Association (CPA), demanding the immediate disbandment of the Baron Rapulana CPA committee amid allegations of corruption, infighting, and administrative failures.
Minister Nyhontso acknowledged the community’s concerns following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, which formally transferred tractors, equipment, and land title deeds to the beneficiaries. “We have listened to them. We have taken their concerns. We are going to go back to the office and then rectify whatever that is wrong,” Minister Nyhontso stated. He emphasized that community grievances centered on CPA governance rather than the land handover itself.
Addressing broader CPA challenges, Minister Nyhontso noted that his department has engaged with more than 1,700 CPAs across all nine provinces. “The fight is not about CPAs. The fight is about money. The fight is about position… about influence,” he explained. He observed that disputes often emerge only after financial resources are allocated, sometimes fracturing even close family relationships.
To address systemic issues, the Minister announced plans to convene a national CPA indaba by June or July. At this gathering, CPAs will receive clear directives and compliance requirements. “If they don’t comply, we’ll disband them,” he affirmed. Provincial CPA registers will also be established to improve oversight and administration.
It was reinforced that land, equipment, and associated assets legally belong to the beneficiaries—not the CPA structures—and stressed the need for transparent benefit-sharing mechanisms. Minister Nyhontso echoed this, citing the case of a young community member who had been part of a CPA since 2015 without receiving tangible benefits. “It’s wrong. We must be able to know what it is that they are benefiting in their own land,” he said, adding that land restoration is fundamentally about restoring the dignity of dispossessed communities.
While celebrating the progress of the restitution program, the Minister warned that internal conflicts threaten long-term success. “If they keep on fighting, everything is going to collapse. These equipments are not going to work,” he cautioned, noting that assets could be sold or misappropriated without community cohesion. He clarified that dissolving a CPA would not affect beneficiaries’ ownership rights, as assets would transfer to any newly constituted association.
Nationally, the land claims process shows significant advancement. Of approximately 90,000 historical claims, around 85,000 have been resolved through land restoration, financial compensation, or alternative land allocation. Roughly 5,000 claims remain outstanding. Minister Nyhontso identified budgetary constraints and beneficiary infighting—including disagreements over legitimate claimants—as key factors delaying final settlements.
Despite the ceremony’s disruptions, the Minister reaffirmed the department’s commitment to lawful, beneficiary-centered restitution. “Our role as the department must stick to the law. Must make sure that everybody complies… and if they don’t, must dissolve that CPA. That’s what we’re going to do,” he concluded.
