| Summary: | This study is about a population of 235 households in Blouberg municipality, Limpopo Province, that constituted itself in 2004 into a Communal Property Association. The Tale Ga-Morudu CPA was formed in order to own, manage and control a total of seventeen farms which were progressively restituted to them during 2004 by the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights. Tale Ga-Morudu households were dispossessed and forcefully removed from a number of fertile, arable and irrigable farms1in the 1960s due to racially discriminatory laws or practices. These households were then relocated by the then apartheid regime on the eastern part of Mogalakwena River. They were distributed in the arid communal areas of Laanglagte/Vergelegen, Matekereng; Ga- Mankgodi; Letswatla and Mamoleka under the traditional leadership of Kgoshi Maleboho of BabinaTšhwene. (Map one). It is the aim of this study to find out how Tale Ga-Morudu CPA currently uses these restituted farms for the households who have said to have benefited from restituted land. The researcher used his own observations, lessons and analysis of perspectives from case studies conducted from Limpopo in order to pursue this aim. This study adopted a descriptive household survey design that used a predominantly quantitative approach, and the use of qualitative methods to complement contextual details. A quantitative questionnaire was used on a sample unit of (20%) 45 households obtained by simple random sampling from a population of 235 households of the CPA. Other qualitative methods include focus group discussion, document review and observation. From the results it is clear that land claimants, prefer to retain existing practices of land use, than risk changes in land use in order to meet their socio-economic needs. Thus, instead of investing in commercial agriculture or wildlife farming, people follow subsistence agriculture and remain dependent on social grants and pensions for their livelihood. The general study findings show that the CPA planned to implement different types of land use including those of direct land use value. These include food gardens, resettlement; game farming; poultry enterprises and livestock grazing, and also of indirect use value. The latter refers to contract crop cultivation, rentals and strategic partnerships. The study found that despite income being generated from indirect types of land use, the majority of these intended beneficiaries never benefited from accrued financial dividends of land rental and development. However, households were still able to take advantage of employment opportunities created by contract crop cultivation and in the process they acquired crop cultivation skills. Furthermore the harvesting of natural resources such as wood and poles also contribute to the wellness of households. Households, also derived cultural wellness and a sense of satisfaction by accessing their restored farms to perform rituals. The general conclusion of the study is that the CPA is underutilizing its properties, including arable and irrigable fields, rentable recreational facilities, game farming and its tourism potential.
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