President Cyril Ramaphosa officiates title deed handover ceremony at uMzimkhulu in the Harry Gwala District , 20 Mar

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Friday, 20 March 2026, preside over the presentation of title deeds to claimant groups previously dispossessed of their land rights.

The handover ceremony, which represents the reinstatement of the affected communities’ rights in terms of the Restitution of Land Rights Act, will take place at uMzimkhulu in the Harry Gwala District Municipality.

The Department of Land Reform and Rural Development, led by Minister Mzwanele Nyhontso, will restore over 17 000 hectares of land to four claimant communities: the St Paul Community, the Ngunjini Community, the Ndzimankulu/Vierkant Community, and the Lawrence Family.

The handover marks a significant milestone in government’s ongoing efforts to redress historical land dispossession and restore land rights to rightful beneficiaries.

As South Africa commemorates Human Rights Month under the theme “Bill of Rights at 30: Making Human Dignity Real”, the ceremony demonstrates government’s commitment to advancing human dignity, freedom, and an inclusive economy grounded in equitable spatial justice.

The event will also acknowledge progress made in resolving land claims and transferring land ownership to beneficiary communities.

Land restitution remains a critical mechanism for addressing the injustices of the past by restoring access to land rights, including ownership and opportunities for sustainable development.

This contributes to improved household welfare, economic growth, poverty alleviation, and a better quality of life for affected communities.

The President will be joined by members of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Land Reform; the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Thami Ntuli; leadership from the Harry Gwala District Municipality and the uMzimkhulu Local Municipality; as well as representatives from the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights.

The Presidential handover ceremony will take place as follows:

Date: Friday, 20 March 2026
Time: 09h00
Venue: Esayidi TVET College, uMzimkhulu Campus, KwaZulu-Natal

Note to media: accreditation process for this event has been concluded by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS)

Enquiries:
Spokesperson to the President
Vincent Magwenya
E-mail: media@presidency.gov.za

Chief Director: Strategic Communication
Ms Linda Page
Cell: 071 334 3479
E-mail: Linda.Page@dlrrd.gov.za

#ServiceDeliveryZA