. Restitution spent 99.71% of its total budget allocation. Although restitution spent almost 100% of its allocation, the programme remains beset with a huge backlog in terms of funds that the DRDLR/CRLR still has to pay to both land owners, who signed the offer to purchase with the CRLR. As early as the second quarter of 2009/10, the allocation for restitution was almost entirely depleted. This negatively impacted on the ability of the CRLR to purchase farms for land restitution. However, the CRLR continued to negotiate and commit the state to purchase farms for land restitution. By March 2010, the CRLR had entered into commitments to the total of about R7.5 billion, which is understood to have increased to R12 billion due to the court orders for enforcement of payments to land owners. As a result, R700 million of the restitution budgets were used to settle some of the court orders in terms of litigation awarded in favour of applicants. Over the last couple of years, the budget for land restitution was declining, yet the price of land to be acquired was increasing. In addition, the types of land to be acquired comprised high value agricultural land, mining land and national strategic assets. In order to ensure that all outstanding land claims are settled by 2012, more budgets alongside alternative ways of acquisition of land in a cost effective manner would have to be sought. Furthermore, allocations for post-settlement support and recapitalization of failed land reform projects should be given considerable attention.