On 25 February 2014, the national assembly passed the Restitution of Land Rights Amendment Bill, which will in its current form allow for new land restitution claims to be lodged until 30 June 2019. Many of those who were dispossessed of land missed the original deadline of 31 December 1998, and thus were denied redress. The Department of Rural Development’s assessment of the original process identified shortcomings, resulting in the recommendation to reopen the process. 

The Bill will now be considered by the National Council of Provinces, before it can become law.

While the passing of the Bill is an exciting development for the many who were shut out of the process owing to lack of information or poor support in the 1990s, it is noteworthy that the budget of the Commission which handles land restitution claims has been repeatedly cut in recent years. The Commission currently sits with a…