Deputy Minister marks Human Rights Month with the handing over of newly built homes to farm dwellers in Mpumalanga
The Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Mr Mcebisi Skwatsha together with the Mpumalanga Acting MEC for Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs Ms BP Shiba, and MEC for Human Settlement Mr Speedy Mashilo will on Saturday 26th March 2022, handover 35 houses to farm dwellers and labour tenants from Paardeplaats and Rietfontien Farms, in Emakhazeni Local Municipality, as part of the Human Rights month activities.
The houses were built by the DALRRD for the thirty-five households as part of an initiative to provide shelter and basic services for farm dwellers and labour tenants who were destitute and living in informal makeshift structures. Members of these communities had successfully applied to DALRRD to have their land claims settled in terms of the Labour Tenants Act. The Act gives rights to labour tenants to apply to the Department for subsidy with which land can be purchased for their benefit.
Over 8 000 applications were lodged in Mpumalanga and under half of these were successfully settled. The Department is in the process of settling the remaining applications, either through new acquisition of land or disposal of state land.
The units which will be handed over at a ceremony at the Paardeplaats Farm, comprise three bedrooms, one bathroom, an open plan kitchen and lounge area. In terms of the provision of basic services, the following has been achieved:
- 5Kva Off grid energy solutions and solar geysers
- Off grid sanitation solution.
- Water supply and reticulation
Members of the media are invited to cover the event as follows:
Date: Saturday 26 March 2022
Venue: Paardeplaats Farm, in Emakhazeni Local Municipality, Mpumalanga Province
Time: 9h00
Source: Government of South Africa