Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development Mzwanele Nyhontso has officially handed over more than 2 000 hectares of land to the community of KwaMathonsi near KwaDukuza on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast in settling a land claim.
The community said in their land claim that they were dispossessed of their land from 1949 onwards to make room for sugarcane fields.
KwaMathonsi Community Trust secretary, Lindiwe Mbokazi says the beneficiaries are happy that they are starting a new chapter in their lives.
Today we are so excited and overwhelmed and grateful as the government is here to issue the title deeds for three phases that have been brought for KwaMathonsi community. The land is productive currently producing sugarcane and it covers 2 100 hectares and we are on the ground. So, we are going to keep sugarcane and we have no plans to uproot the sugarcane.
Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal Agriculture MEC Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthembeni says the department will work closely with the beneficiaries to provide them with necessary skills.
