Deputy Speaker, in 1998 the Ntuze land claims committee lodged an application on behalf of 3 411 members for restitution of their land in the Mkhwanazi area. Later, the Phalane Trust lodged an application for restitution in respect of the same stretch of tribal land.
Now Cope has evidence that shows that some of the names of members of the Phalane Trust included were people who have already died and could not therefore have been claimants at that time. We have further evidence to show that some of the members of the ruling party are involved in this trust.
The Ntuze land claims committee filed an application in court challenging this. While that matter was still being contested in court, the SABC transmitted TV images of a smiling President Zuma handing out a cheque to the Phalane Trust. The Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform should explain how government could forge ahead with this payment while the matter was still contested in court.
South Africans need to know whether the President himself played any role in swaying the decision in favour of the Phalane Trust. Cope will pursue this matter until the community of Ntuze gets all its legitimate rights.