AfriBusiness launches campaign against land claims in the northeast of Pretoria

AfriBusiness will protect its members' property rights. That is the view of the business rights watchdog, AfriBusiness, after it was announced that a land claim for more than 500 stands, business premises and farms has been lodged. According to the Chief Executive Officer of AfriBusiness, Cornelius Jansen van Rensburg, the list of properties that are being targeted was published on 12 December 2014 and again on 6 February 2015 (see press report and document here - PDF).

According to Jansen van Rensburg, this claim will lead to great uncertainty with regards to property rights in this area. "It typically takes years to finalise a land claim, while the uncertainty negatively influences property values and the liquidity of property.

"Government aid, which is only available for land claimers, aggravates the position in which property owners find themselves, because they have to spend their own time, effort and money to protect their property rights. In contrast, the government provides all necessary aid to land claimers. AfriBusiness is of the opinion that this creates a situation of significant inequality."

As business rights watchdog, AfriBusiness will support business people who are involved in this land claim by taking the following three specific steps:

1. To determine the historical ownership of the area through research.

2. To assist members with any judicial processes aimed at resolving the land claim.

3. To investigate the unequal position of property owners with regards to government aid in the process to protect their property rights.

Members of the public can visit AfriBusiness at www.afribusiness.co.za to download the necessary documents. Alternatively, an e-mail can be sent to [email protected]. The documents include:

-  The applicable Government Gazette publications.

-  A document in which property owners can give AfriBusiness the mandate to act on their behalf.

The legal restitution of property rights, which were previously violated by the state, has to take place, but should however not be abused. There is a significant possibility that this land claim has been inflated drastically and that it has been done with the purpose of claiming high amounts of compensation.

Statement issued by Cornelius Jansen van Rensburg, Chief Executive 0fficer, AfriBusiness, February 19 2015

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