1. PROPERTIES EARMARKED FOR LAND REFORM THROUGH THE LAND RESTITUTION PROCESS
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT SERVICES BRANCH
Presented by Ms S Subban

2. BACKGROUND
Historically, the National Department of Public Works (NDPW) released properties gratis for Restitution purposes, with an endorsement from the National Treasury (NT);
In 2006, the establishment of the Property Management Trading Entity (PMTE) was approved by Cabinet and the National Treasury, but the PMTE started being operationalized only in 2015/16;
The operationalization of the PMTE in 2015/16 meant migration of the DPW portfolio of State land to the PMTE balance sheet;
The current operating model of PMTE, where it is expected to operate like a fully fledged business, is affecting its liquidity and the ability to fund all its costs from its own generated revenue.

3. LEGISLATION GOVERNING THE STATE’S IMMOVABLE ASSETS
Sections 76(1)(k) and (l) of the Public Finance Management Act (Act 1 of 1999)(PFMA) state that the National Treasury must make regulations, concerning the alienation, letting or other disposal of State assets and gifts or donations by or to the State;
Thus, Treasury Regulation (TR) states that the relevant treasury’s approval must be obtained before institutions offer or accept any gifts or donations of immovable property; and
TR 16A7.3 requires that any sale of immovable state property must be at market- related value, unless the relevant treasury approves otherwise.

4. ..LEGISLATION PROPERTY VALUERS ACT,2014
When the Office of the Valuer-General (OVG) values land at zero, the PMTE is required by law to transfer the land gratis. (See Property Valuations Act, (Act No.17 of 2014);
When the OVG ascribes a positive value to the land, Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) must provide further justification to PMTE and Treasury as to why the land could be transferred gratis;
This could have negative financial implications for the PMTE;
Treasury indicated that they will actively monitor the financial health of the PMTE and act to improve sustainability, via Treasury processes.

5. OUTCOME OF LEGAL OPINION FOR TRANSFER OF LAND FOR RESTITUTION PURPOSES
With the operationalisation of the PMTE, as well as the requirements of the PFMA, which informs the releasing of properties at market value and the Property Valuers Act, a legal opinion was sought to determine which Act supersedes the other;
The outcome of the recent Legal Opinion obtained is as follows:
The legal status of PMTE as a Trading entity does not warrant an interpretation or application of the relevant statutory provision so as to preserve for the PMTE an entitlement to market-value compensation of assets disposed of for purposes of land restitution.
Further, nothing in Treasury Regulation 19 imposes a legal obligation on a trading entity to dispose of assets only at market value; and
there exists no legal requirement for NT to approve a disposal of immovable property below market value.
The Department has informed National Treasury of these developments (requirements for market values and Treasury endorsement for Restitution purposes).
The legal opinion has assisted in accelerating the release process as National Treasury endorsement is no longer a requirement for restitution purposes.

6. PROPERTIES EARMARKED FOR LAND REFORM
Summarised information on 539 claimed properties provided by DRDLR:
Total of 261 properties for settled claims, consisting of ha;
Total of 278 properties for outstanding claims, consisting of ha;
In relation to the above, an action plan spanning over a three year period is presented in the following slides.

7. PROPERTIES EARMARKED FOR LAND REFORM continues…
Following verification of properties undertaken by NDPW, out of the 261 settled claims 43 properties are under the custodianship of NDPW
PROVINCES
PROPERTIES
NDPW
DRDLR
PROVINCIAL
PRIVATE
DWS
TO BE VERIFIED
Eastern Cape 3
Free State 1
Gauteng 19 5 8
KwaZulu-Natal 50 6 28 7
Limpopo 48 10 14 2 21
Mpumalanga
Northern Cape 16 9
North West 95 93
Western Cape 26 13
TOTAL
261 43 55
101 18

8. PROPERTIES EARMARKED FOR LAND RESTITUTION PURPOSES continues…
NDPW is part of the Inter- Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Land Reform
The following programme for land reform has been presented to the IMC :
98 (43-NDPW & 55 other custodians) properties are targeted for release before the end of the 2018/19 financial year by all custodians;
100 properties are targeted for release before the end of the 2019/20 financial year by all custodians;
A further 100 properties should be released in 2020/21 financial year by all custodians; and
The North-West Province has been identified as the province that has the largest number of outstanding settled Restitution claims (93 properties). To fast- track the Restitution Programme; NDPW has engaged the Province to release of the identified properties.

9. ACTION PLAN FOR SETTLED CLAIMS (261)
RESPONSIBILITY
TIME FRAME
43 land claims finalised
NDPW
31 March 2019
55 land claims finalised
Other custodians
100 land claims finalised
All relevant custodians
31 March 2020
31 March 2021

10. NDPW PROPERTIES PARCELS RELEASED DURING 18/19 FY
Land Restitution Properties No
Province
Property description
Extent (HA)
Title Deed No
Claimant Community/Beneficiary 1
KZN
Farm GU Farm Ruth No GU
920,478
T63230/2001
Isizwe sakwaMkhwanazi 2
Remainder of farm No GU
1797,072 3
Portion 1 of farm Birkett No GU
2,1663 4
Farm Richard No 16802
1195,2658 5
Farm Lot Port Dornford No GU
44,2962
T18649/1975

11. NDPW PROPERTIES PARCELS RELEASED DURING 18/19 FY continues…No
Province
Property Description
Extent in Hectares
Title Deed No.
Beneficiaries 6 LP
Remainder of Portions 1 of farm Rietkloof No. 166 JS 1 
T202/1861 (VA7386/2005)
Bakgaga-Ba-Kopa Claimant Community 7
Portions 2 of farm Rietkloof No.166 JS
T34092/1964 (VA77430/2005) 8
Remainder of Portion 3 (a portion of Portion 1) of farm Rietkloof No. 166 JS
T8062/1964 (VA7386/2005) 9 NC
Farm Kono J 198
1.1259
T1105A/1962
Kono Community 10
Farm Kono K 190
5.2455
T1105/1962 11 WC
Farm Covie Commonage No.287, Knysna RD
Unregistered
Covie Community Claimants 12
Erf 242 Bishopscourt
3.8544
T16735/1968
Protea Village Action Committee (PVAC)
Total

12. PROPERTIES EARMARKED FOR LAND REFORM
Ownership verification of 278 outstanding restitution claims was undertaken by NDPW, out of the 278 outstanding claims 158 properties are under the custodianship of NDPW. These will only be processed as Phase 2 once requests with supporting documentation are received from DRDLR.
PROVINCES
PROPERTIES
NDPW
DRDLR
PDPW
PRIVATE
TO BE VERIFIED
Eastern Cape
Free State
Gauteng 5 1 4
KwaZulu-Natal 46 39
Limpopo 77 28 31 7 2 9
Mpumalanga 51 21 24
Northern Cape
North West 34
Western Cape 61 6
TOTAL
278
158 43 18 10 49

13. RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Portfolio Committee notes the content of the presentation and the alignment to fast-tracking the land release for restitution purposes.

14. THANK YOU