Case Law[2025] ZALCC 6South Africa
Poti and Others v Minister of Department of Rural Development and Land Reform and Others (205/2021; 19/2022) [2025] ZALCC 6 (21 January 2025)
Land Claims Court of South Africa
21 January 2025
Headnotes
IN RANDBURG
Judgment
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## Poti and Others v Minister of Department of Rural Development and Land Reform and Others (205/2021; 19/2022) [2025] ZALCC 6 (21 January 2025)
Poti and Others v Minister of Department of Rural Development and Land Reform and Others (205/2021; 19/2022) [2025] ZALCC 6 (21 January 2025)
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sino date 21 January 2025
Latest amended version 7 February
2025.
FLYNOTES:
LAND TENURE – Restitution of rights –
Compensation
–
Allegations
of inadequate compensation based on irrelevant considerations –
Seeking to set aside settlement agreements
– Respondent
failed to consider individual circumstances of each applicant –
Hardship caused by dispossession
– Application of blanket
compensation based on irrelevant RDP housing subsidy value –
Reliance on recommendation
was flawed – Set aside and
declared invalid –
Restitution of Land Rights Act 22 of
1994
,
s 33.
IN THE LAND COURT OF
SOUTH AFRICA
HELD
IN RANDBURG
CASE
NO
: 205/2021
CASE
NO
: 19/2022
Before:
Honourable Ncube J
Heard
on: 29 August 2024
Delivered
on: 21 January 2025
(1)
REPORTABLE: YES/
NO
(2) OF INTEREST TO
OTHER JUDGES:
YES
/NO
(3) REVISED:
YES
/NO
DATE: 21/01/2025
SIGNATURE
In
the Consolidated matter of:
KHOLEKA GLADYS
POTI
1
st
Applicant
NOMBULELO MAVIS
GENGE
2
nd
Applicant
MARGARET NOKUZOLA
QUMZA
3
rd
Applicant
and
Case LCC 19/2022
NOSE PRINCESS JACOBS
1
st
Applicant
NOMATHEMBA
PHALI
2
nd
Applicant
and
MINISTER OF
DEPARTNMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
1
st
Respondent
AND LAND REFORM
DIRECTOR GENERAL OF
DEPARTNMENT OF RURAL
2
nd
Respondent
DEVELOPMENT AND LAND
REFOEM
CHIEF LAND CLAIMS
COMMISSIONER
3
rd
Respondent
REGIONAL LAND CLAIMS
COMMISSIONER
4
th
Respondent
ORDER
In
the result, I make the following order:
1.
The point
in limine
raised by the Respondents herein is
dismissed.
2.
The period of 180 days mentioned in
Section 7(1)
of PAJA is, in terms
of
Section 9(1)
(b), extended to 10 May 2022
3.
The decision to pay compensation of R36000,00 in respect of each of
the Applicants in both Case LCC 205/2021
and LCC19/2022 is reviewed,
set aside and declared invalid.
4.
The Settlement agreements entered into by all five Applicants in case
LCC205/2021 and LCC19/2022are reviewed,
set aside and declared
invalid.
5.
The Fourth Respondent is ordered to refer this case to the Land Court
in terms of
Section 14(3A)
and (4) of the
Restitution of Land Rights
Act 22 of 1994
.
6.
The Respondents are jointly and severally ordered to pay the
Applicants’ Costs on Attorney
and Client Scale.
Such costs to include costs of two counsel.
JUDGMENT
NCUBE
J
Introduction
[1]
These are two consolidated applications. The Applicants seek an
order reviewing and setting aside the decision of the
fourth
respondent
(‘’the
RLCC’’)
to
settle their land claims which they had lodged in respect of the
dispossession of their rights to the farm Veesplaas, in 1960’s
in a blanket amount of R36000.00 each. The Applicants also seek
an order setting aside the settlement agreements entered
into in
respect of the said land claims and the remittal of the land claims
to the RLCC. In the alternative, the Applicants
seek an order
directing the RLCC to refer the settlement agreements to this court
for a consideration in terms of section14 (3A)
and 4 of the
Restitution of Land Rights Act
[1]
(‘’the
Restitution Act’’).
The
application is opposed.
Litigation
History
[2] In terms of the court
order granted on 24 January 2024, the two cases were consolidated
under one case which is LCC 205/2021.
The Case has a long
history with somewhat unusual procedures employed by the State
Respondents. The application was enrolled for
hearing on four
occasions but on three of those occasions it did not proceed because
of certain reasons. The application
was first set down for
hearing on 15 August 2023 as the Respondents were late with their
heads of argument. They filed their
heads of argument on 10
August 2023. The matter was then adjourned to 8 September
2023. One day before the hearing
scheduled for 8 September
2023, the Respondent’s new senior Consel filed a further set of
heads of Argument. The Judge’s
files were also not in
order. The matter adjourned to 10 October 2023.
[3] On 22 September 2023
the Respondents filed two identical supplementary affidavits under
both case numbers LCC 205/2021 and LCC
19/2022. This, the Respondents
did without first seeking leave from the court to file a
supplementary affidavit. In the morning
of the hearing, on 10
October 2023, the Respondents filed two Notices of Motion in respect
of each case, seeking condonation for
the late filing of the
supplementary answering affidavits at the same time seeking an order
admitting the affidavits as part of
the record. The Applicants
gave notice of their intention to oppose the belated applications.
[4]
At the hearing of the matter the Applicants objects to the
supplementary affidavits on the basis that a new case was made out
in
the so – called supplementary affidavits and such supplementary
affidavits contradicted the Respondents’ answering
affidavits.
The hearing was then adjourned to 24 January 2024 as the court was
going to consider the admissibility of the
two additional affidavits.
After the adjournments, the Respondents, under the consolidated
filing notice dated 06 November 2023,
delivered two further identical
applications referred to as
‘’
Notice
of Motion: Condonation’’
.
The Applicants again filed notice to oppose those fresh applications
for condonation and also filed a joint answering affidavit
to the two
applications.
[5]
The two condonation applications as pointed out by the Applicants,
were not applications for leave to file supplementary affidavits.
The relief sought by the State Respondents in the founding affidavit
of Mr Maphutha, was seeking condonation for the late filing
of
supplementary answering affidavits. To cure the defect, the
Respondents filed notice of amendment by adding the word
‘’supplementary’’
before the word
‘’answering’’. The correct procedure
was to seek leave from the court to file further
affidavits
[2]
.
Point
in Limine
[6]
On 15 August 2024, the Respondents gave notice to raise a point
in
limine.
The
point raised was one of prescription. The Respondents averred
that the. Applicants herein were basing their claims on
contracts
which were concluded and performed or should have been performed by
the Respondents before the end of 2011. The
so - called point
in limine
is
misplaced. The Applicants in these proceedings do not lay a
claim based on breach of contract. The Applicants seek
a review
and setting aside of the decision that led to the conclusion of
settlement agreements as well as the agreements themselves.
[7]
The other difficulty with the Respondents’ points
in
limine
is
that the Respondents never raised prescription as a defence in their
answering affidavit. In motion proceedings, affidavits
delivered by the parties serve as both pleadings and evidence.
To that extent, in
Swissborough
Diamond Mines v Government of RSA
[3]
.
Joffe J expressed himself in the following terms:
‘’
It
is trite law that in motion proceedings the affidavits serve not only
to place evidence before the Court but also to define the
issues
between the parties. In so doing the issues between the parties
are identified. This is not only for the benefit
of the Court
but also and primarily for the parties. The parties must know
the case that must be met and in respect of which
they must adduce
evidence in the affidavits …………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………
..
…………………………………………………………………………………………
..
………………………
..
An Applicant must accordingly raise issues upon which it would seek
to rely in the founding affidavit. It must do so by defining
the
relevant issues and by setting out the evidence upon which it
relies to discharge the onus of proof resting on it in
respect
thereof’’.
[8]
On the other hand, in
Van
Rensburg v Van Rensburg and Andere
[4]
,
it was held that a party is entitled, in argument, to raise argument
in support of the relief sought, even where such argument
is not
specifically mentioned in the papers. However, common sense
dictates that the court will allow this only in cases
where no
prejudice will be caused to the other party. In
casu,
the
Applicants might have been in a position to raise many defences had
they been properly appraised of such a point
in
li
mine
in the Respondents’ papers on time. There is no doubt
that the step taken by the Respondent was not in the interest
of
justice and is clearly prejudicial to the Applicants. In any
event, as stated earlier in this judgement, the relief sought
by the
Applicants herein is not a claim in respect of which a defence of
prescription can be raised. I turn now to look at the
merits of the
review application.
Parties
[9]
There are five (5) Applicants in two consolidated cases. Those
cases are LCC 205/2021 and 19/2022. Case LCC 205/2021
has three
(3) Applicants. Case LCC19/2022 has two (2) Applicants.
The first Applicant in LCC205/2021 is Kholeka Gladys
Poti
(‘’Kholeka’’).
The Second Applicant is Nombulelo Mavis
Genge
(‘’Nombulelo’’).
The Third Applicant is Margaret Nokuzola Qumza
(‘’Margaret). The first Applicant in LCC19/2022 is
Nose Princess
Jacobs
(‘’Princess’’
).
The second Applicant is Nomatemba Phali
(‘’Nomatemba’’).
[10] The first Respondent
is the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform. The
Second Respondent is Director General
of the same Department.
The Third Respondent is the Chief Land Claims Commission. The
Fourth Respondent is the Regional
Land Claims Commissioner (‘’RLCC’’)
Eastern Cape Province. All four (4) Respondents oppose this
application.
Factual Background
[11]
Kholeka is a first born daughter of Velile (father) and Winnie
Poti
(‘’parents’’).
The parents were tenants at Wilson’s Ground
in Veeplaas. They occupied the land with Kholeka, her siblings
and other
relatives. The family had shacks and some were rented
out to other people. They also owned few livestock. As a
result of racially discriminatory laws or practices, the parents
together with the entire Poti family were forcefully moved to
Zwide
location where they were allocated a small house. As a result
of the said removals, the parents, together with the
family, were
dispossessed of their tenancy rights. The family left behind
their livestock and other valuables. No compensation
was paid.
Mr Poti passed away without lodging a restitution claim. Mrs
Poti lodged a valid claim before the cut off
date of 31 December
1998. Unfortunately, Mrs Poti also passed away in February 2004
before any compensation was paid.
Kholeka took over the claim
on behalf of the Poti Family.
[12] Kholeka
subsequently received payments of R9000.00. Her other two
siblings equally received R9000.00 each and the
children of her
deceased sister also received R9000-00 which was the share which was
due to Kholeka’s late sister.
In total the Poti family
was compensated in the amount of R36000-00from the RLCC.
[13] Nombulelo is
the descendent of Boesman and Nompumelelo Genge, her parents.
The parents were tenants on the land
which was owned by one
Ntshinga. Nombulelo together with the rest of the family were
removed from Veeplaas and taken to Zwide.
They were also
dispossessed of their tenancy right. The dispossession was
effected in terms of the racially discriminatory
laws or practices of
the past. No compensation was paid to the family at the time of
the removal. Nombulelo’s
parents died without lodging a
claim for restitution of their tenancy rights which they lost.
Nombulelo lodged the claim
which the RLCC found to be valid. In
2011, the RLCC paid the Genge family an amount of R36000
– 00 which
was paid in two equal instalments of R18000.00 each.
[14] The Third Applicant,
Margaret, is the descendant of Edward Mdlokovu and Nomisile Agnes
Mdlokovu, her parents who were also
tenants in Veeplaas on the land
owned by Khonza. The said family was also dispossessed of its
tenancy rights when it was
forcefully moved from Veeplaas to Zwide.
The dispossession was in terms of racially discriminatory laws or
practices.
Margaret’s parents died without lodging a
claim for a restitution of tenancy rights which they lost.
Margaret lodged
a claim which was subsequently accepted as valid by
the RLCC. Margaret, like other claimants, opted for financial
compensation
as a form of equitable redress. In 2011 Margaret
was paid compensation in the amount of R18000.00. The second
R18000.00
which would make it R36000.00, has not been paid.
[15]
Princess, being the first Applicant in case 19/2022, their mother
Emerly Maziko
(‘’Emely’’)
and Princess’s other two sisters were
tenants at Vessplaas on the land owned by One Komashini.
The family occupied
a shack built by Emely. The said shack was
big enough to accommodate the entire family. The family was
later forcefully
moved to Zwide location where they were forced to
take occupation in a very small house. The family was
dispossessed of its
right of tenancy due to racially discriminatory
laws or practices. No compensation was paid at the time of
dispossession.
Emely died without lodging a restitution claim.
Princess lodged a claim which was accepted as valid by the RLCC.
[16]
The RLCC, without consultation with any of the claimants,
unilaterally decided to pay the Jacobs family an amount of R36 000
as a form of just and equitable redress. On 18 June 2011, the RLCC
paid Princess an amount of R9 000.00. The representatives
of the
estates of Princess’s other two late siblings were also paid
R9000-00 each. The balance of R9000.00 is still outstanding
as the
family was also earmarked to receive R36 000.00.
[17] Nomatemba as the
second applicant in case 19/2022, with her sisters, were born
in Veeplaas. They were the tenants on
the land owned by one Mr.
Adams. Their parents had a shack which the family occupied.
Nomatemba’s parents died without lodging
a claim for the
restitution of their tenancy rights which they lost when the family
was forcefully moved from Veeplaas to Zwide
location. Nomatemba
lodged a restitution claim which was subsequently accepted as
valid by the RLCC. Like other Veeplaas
Claimants, Nomatemba opted for
financial compensation. On 4 February 2011, Nomatemba’s
received payment of R36 000.00
into her banking account from the
RLCC.
Grounds of Review:
[18] The Applicants base
their application for review on the following grounds:
(a.) the RLCC, in
determining the mount of compensation, did not consider the history
of dispossession and hardship caused by dispossession.
(b.) the RLCC
committed gross irregularity by determining the amount of
compensation based on the value of the RDP Housing Subsidy
and failed
to take into account relevant considerations.
(c.)
the RLCC determined the amount of compensation on the basis of
unauthorised dictates of Vadec Consultants.
Legal Matrix
[19]
The starting point of exercise is the Constitution of the Republic of
South Africa
[5]
. One of the
founding principles of our law is the Supremacy of the
Constitution
[6]
. The
Constitution is the Supreme law of the Republic. Law or conduct which
is inconsistant with the Constitution is invalid and
the obligations
imposed by the Constitution must be fulfilled. The Constitution
guarantees everyone the right to administrative
action that is valid,
reasonable, and procedurally fair
[7]
.
The Parliament is enjoined to enact legislation to give effect to the
Constitutional right to just administrative action and such
legislation must make provision for the review of administrative
action by the Courts
[8]
.
[20]
Section 217 of the Constitution provides that when the organ of state
in the national, provincial or local sphere of government
contracts
for goods, or services, it must do so in accordance with the system
which is fair, equitable, transparent, competitive
and cost
effective. Pursuant to Constitutional imperatives
[9]
,
Parliament enacted the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act
[10]
(“PAJA”).
PAJA
provides that administrative action materially and adversely
affecting the rights or legitimate expectations of any person
must be
procedurally fair
[11]
.
The Court may review an administrative action if the administrator
who took that action amongst other things, took irrelevant
considerations into account or when he or she did not consider the
relevant factors.
[21]
In terms of Section 6(2) of PAJA a court may review an
administrative action if the action taken was influenced by
irrelevant
considerations or where relevant considerations were not
considered
[12]
. The
administrative action may also be reviewed if such action was taken
as a result of
unauthorized
or unwarranted dictates of another person
[13]
or
body
[14]
.
[22]
In
PG
Group Pty(Ltd). v National Energy Regulator of South Africa and
Another
[15]
Leach
JA Said:
"it
is a fundamental requirement of Administrative law that an
administrative decision must be rational. This is entrenched
in S
6(2) (f) (ii) of PAJA which provides for an administrative action
being reviewable if it is not rationally connected inter
alia, to the
purpose for which it was taken, the purpose of the empowering
provision, or the reasons given for it by the functionary
who took
it
.
Administrative
action is also reviewable under 6(2) (h) of PAJA if’ it is one
that a reasonable decision maker could not reach’
- See Bato
Star Fishing V Minister of Environmental Affairs
2004 14, SA 490
(CC)
para 44.”
Discussion
[23]
In terms of Section 25(7) of the Constitution, a person or community
dispossessed of property after 19 June 1913 as a result
of past
racially discriminatory laws or practices is entitled to the extent
provided by the Act of Parliament, either to restitution
of that
property or to equitable redress. The Act which governs the
restitution of rights lost as a result of dispossession based
on
racially discriminatory laws or practices is the
Restitution of Land
Rights Act
[16
]. ("the
Restitution Act"). In terms of the Constitution
[17]
,
the amount of compensation, the time and manner of payment must be
just and equitable, reflecting the equitable balance between
the
public interest and the interest of those affected.
[24] Section 25(3) of the
Constitution further prescribes the factors and circumstances which
must be considered when the amount
of compensation is to be
determined. The following factors are to be considered when the
amount of compensation is determined:
(a) the current use of
the property
(b) the history of the
acquisition and use of the property
(c) the market value
of the property.
(d) the extent of
direct state investment and subsidy in the acquisition and beneficial
capital Improvement of the property and
(e) the purpose of the
expropriation.
[25] Section 33 of the
Restitution Act provides:
“
33
Factors to be taken into account by
Court
-
In considering its decision in any
particular matter the
Court shall have regard to the following factors:
(a) The desirability
of providing for restitution of rights in land to any person or
community dispossessed as a result of past
racially discriminatory
laws or practices;
(b) the desirability
of remedying past violations of human rights;
(c) the requirements
of equity and justice.
(cA) ..
(d) ..
(e)….
(eA) the amount of
compensation or any other consideration received in respect of
dispossession, and the circumstances prevailing
at the time of the
dispossession.
(eB
)
the
history of the dispossession, the hardship caused
[18]
,
the current use of the land and the history of the acquisition and
use of the land.
(eC) in the case of an
order for equitable redress in the form of financial compensation,
changes over time in the value of money
(f)….. ‘’
[26]
The RLCC took a decision to pay all tenants of Veeplaas a blanket
amount of R36 000.00. This amount is equal to
the RDP
housing subsidy. The payment of R36 000.00 was based on the
recommendation of the Vadec Consultants
(‘’Vadec’’)
.
I am called upon to decide whether the decision to pay a blanket
amount of R36 000.00 to all applicants was a rational and reasonable
decision. It does not appear from the papers if any of the parties is
challenging the validity of the agreements which were concluded
pursuant to the decision to pay R36 000 to all the Applicants. I have
noticed that the agreements were only signed by the Applicants
and no
one signed on behalf of the Commission. The space provided for the
signature of the Commission is left blank. However, if
the decision
which led to the conclusion of those agreements is set aside, the
agreements cannot stand.
[27] The Applicants
contend that the RLCC’s decision was irrational and
unreasonable. On the other hand, the Respondents aver
that the
decision was rational and reasonable since the Applicants were only
tenants and not the owners of the dispossessed properties.
[28]
An irrational decision is the one which is shockingly bad and defies
logic to the extent that no sensible person who had applied
his mind
correctly to the question to be decided could have arrived at that
decision. On the other hand, to test the reasonableness
of the
decision or conduct, the Court must ask itself whether an ordinary
person in the same circumstances would have had the same
belief or
acted in the same way. Substantive irrational or unreasonable
decision or conduct offends the principle of legality,
which is an
incident of the rule of law. Taking into account irrelevant
considerations in the decision-making process also offends
against
the principle of legality
[19]
[29]
It is true that the Applicants were the tenants and not the owners of
the property expropriated. The Applicants lost their
tenancy rights.
It was wrong to apply
“
one shoe
fits all’
principle
when deciding on the amount of compensation to be paid to individual
families. The tenants’ circumstances were not
the same and they
were not subject to the authority of the same landlord. Some tenants
were renting the land but they built their
own shacks. Others
occupied the shacks built by the land lord and paid rent for the
shacks they occupied. Each land lord had his
or her own rules
determining access and occupation of his or her land. Some tenants
were allowed and they kept livestock. Others
were not allowed and
they had no livestock on the land. They could not have paid the same
amount of rent.
[30] The RLCC took a
decision based on irrelevant factors suggested by Vadec. The value of
RDP housing subsidy was irrelevant in
the circumstances of this case.
In fact, the Vadec report was useless since it did not provide an
independent recommendation. The
report shows that Vadec made a
recommendation which was in any event preferred by the Commission,
which is the compensation equal
to the value of the RDP housing
subsidy. Vadec states in its report that during the investigation,
they established that the Commission
preferred compensation which is
equal to the value of the RDP housing subsidy. In other words, Vadec
only told the commission what
the Commission wanted to hear, nothing
more than that. That shows the irrationality of the decision taken by
the RLCC. Such a decision
ought to be reviewed and set aside.
[31] The RDP housing
subsidy is not one of the factors mentioned either in section 25(3)
of the Constitution or section 33 of the
Restitution Act. However, I
agree with the Respondents that the RLCC is not obliged, in the
determination of the just and equitable
compensation to consider the
hardship and loss suffered by the Applicants. It is the Court which
is enjoined to consider those
factors in terms of section 33 of the
Restitution Act. Whilst factors mentioned in section 25(3) of the
Constitution are for every
functionary exercising a public power,
factors mentioned in section 33 of the Restitution Act are for the
consideration by the
court only.
Should the period
of 180 days be extended?
[32] Section 7(1) of PAJA
requires a judicial review to be brought ‘without unreasonable
delay’ and not later that 180
days after the person concerned
became aware of the administrative action. Section 9(1) of PAJA makes
provision for the extension
of 180 days’ period either by
agreement between the parties or by Court on application by person or
administrator concerned.
The Court may grant the application where
the interests of justice so require. There is no doubt that the
review proceedings were
brought outside the period stipulated in
section 7(1) of PAJA. The Applicants have asked for the extension of
the period in terms
of section 9(2) of PAJA. The granting of the
application for extension of the period depends on the Court being
satisfied with
a reasonable explanation given for the delay.
According to the Applicants, the delay was caused by lack of funds as
they are indigent.
Secondly, the Applicants entertained hope that the
RLCC was still going to pay them a just and equitable compensation.
Even today,
there are Applicants who have not been paid the full sum
of even that R36 000. They were paid half the amount, nothing more.
The Applicants were therefore justified in waiting for payment of the
full amount which was promised to them.
[33] The Applicants
waited for the full payment until it was clear that no further
payment was forthcoming. It is only then, that
they sought funding in
terms of section 29(4) of the Restitution Act. The Applicants have a
good prospect of success on the merits.
I therefore find that it is
in the interest of justice to extend the period of 180 days to the
time of institution of these review
proceedings. The amended
Notice of Motion is dated 10 May 2022
Remedy
[34] What remains is the
appropriate and effective relief under the circumstances. The
starting point of exercise is section 8(1)
of PAJA which provides:
“
I
The Court or tribunal, in proceedings for judicial review in terms of
section 6(1) may grant any order that is just and equitable,
including orders___
(a)
directing the administrator___
(i)
to give reasons; or
(ii)
to act in the manner the court or
tribunal requires;
(b)
……
..
(c)
Setting aside the administrative action and-
(i)
remitting the matter for
reconsideration by the administrator with or without directions; or
(ii)
in exceptional cases ----
(aa) ……..
(bb) ……..
(d)
……
(e)…….
(f)
as to costs”
[35] Applicants want the
hardship and loss they suffered, as well as solatium to be taken into
account in the determination of just
and equitable compensation.
Those are the factors which can be considered by the Court, not the
RLCC. Section 33 factors are for
the determination by the Court.
Therefore, the appropriate remedy will be for the RLCC to refer the
matter to Court in terms of
Section 14(3A) and (4) of the
Restitution Act.
Costs
[36]
The general practice in this court is not to award costs unless there
are exceptional circumstances which warrant a costs award.
In cases
of successful litigation against the State, the position has changed,
in that the successful private litigant will be
awarded costs. In
Biowatch
Trust v Registrar, Genetic Resources
[20]
Sachs
J said:
“
Similarly,
particularly powerful reasons must exist for a Court not to award
costs against the State in favour of a private litigant
who achieves
substantial success in proceedings brought against it.”
This is one of those
cases where private litigants were involved in constitutional
litigation against an organ of State and were
substantially
successful. Counsel has asked for an award of punitive costs. The
Respondents conducted litigation in somewhat reckless
and shabby
manner in the filing of the answering and supplementary answering
affidavits, I am satisfied that a punitive cost order
is justified in
the circumstances of this case. Counsel asked for costs on scale B
for the Junior Counsel and scale C for the Senior
Counsel:
Unfortunately the amended Rule
67(A) (3) (a) applies to party and party costs only. It
does not apply to punitive costs.
Order
In
the result, I make the following order:
1.
The point
in limine
raised by the Respondents herein is
dismissed.
2.
The period of 180 days mentioned in Section 7(1) of PAJA is, in terms
of Section 9(1) (b) extended to
10 May 2022
3.
The decision to pay compensation of R36000,00 in respect of each of
the Applicants is both Case LCC 205/2021and
LCC 19/2022 is reviewed,
set aside and declared invalid.
4.
The Settlement agreements entered into by all five Applicants in case
LCC205/2021 and LCC19/2022 are
reviewed, set aside and declared
invalid.
5.
The Fourth Respondent is ordered to refer this case to the
Land Court in terms of
Section 14(3A)
and (4) of the
Restitution of
Land Rights Act 22 of 1994
.
6.
The Respondents are jointly and severally one paying, the
other to be absolved ordered to pay the Applicants’
costs on Attorney and Client Scale. Such costs to include costs
of two Counsel.
NCUBE
J
JUDGE
OF THE LAND COURT
OF
SOUTH AFRICA
Legal
Representation:
For
the Applicants:
1.
Adv HS Havenga SC
2.
Adv A Maseti
Instructed
by:
Maci
Incorporated
Suite
717 Adderly Arcade
697
Govan Mbheki Avenue
GQEBERHA.
For
the Respondents:
1.
Adv M Naidoo SC
2.
Adv L Hesselman
Instructed:
State
Attorney
29
Western Road Central
GQEBERHA
Heard:
29 August 2024
Delivered on:
21 January 2025
[1]
[1]
Act
22 of 1994
[2]
See
rule 33(6)
of the
Land Claims Court Rules
[3
]
1999(2)
SA 279(TPD) at 323 F – G
[4]
1963
(1) SA 505
(A) at 509E to 510 B
[5]
Act
108 of 1996
[6]
Section
1 of the Constitution
[7]
Section
33(1) of the Constitution
[8]
Section
33(3)(a) of the Constitution
[9]
Section
33(3) of the Constitution
[10]
Act
No 3 of 2000
[11]
See
section 3 of PAJA
[12]
Section 6 (2) (e) (iii) of PAJA
[13]
My own emphasis
[14]
Section
6 (2) (e) (iv) of PAJA
[15]
2018
(5) SA 150
(SCA) Para 40
[16]
Act
22 of 1994
[17]
Section
25 (3)
[18]
My
own emphasis
[19]
See
Democratic alliance v President of the RSA
2013 (1) SA 248
(cc)
[20]
2009
(6) SA 232
at 247 Para 24
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