Cape Town Family Reclaims Elfindale Land 84 Years After It Was Dispossessed, Plans to Create Development

Cape Town Family Reclaims Elfindale Land 84 Years After It Was Dispossessed, Plans to Create Development

  • The Brickles family was successfully granted ownership of their land in Elfindale that was dispossessed in 1938
  • The almost 5 000 square metre property had been a wasteland for years and the family claimed for it 25 years ago
  • The property around the land ranges between R3 million to R5 million and the Brickles plan to create housing developments

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CAPE TOWN - After a 25-year long battle to regain land that was dispossessed in 1938, the Brickles family was successfully granted ownership of the area in Elfindale, Diep River. When the three houses on the property were demolished members of the family split apart and some lost contact with each other.

Only six of the 10 Brickles siblings who lived on the land are alive. The almost 5 000 square metre property had been a wasteland for years. Family Spokesperson Greg Brickles whose father initially made the claim said the process had many ups and downs but eventually ended successfully.

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Cape Town, family, reclaims land, 84 years, Elfindale land, Diep River
A Cape Town family successful reclaimed their land which was dispossessed 84 years ago. Image: City of Cape Town/Facebook
Source: Facebook

He said the family was initially offered R40 000, and then R240 000 but they were determined to reclaim the land. During an interview with IOL, Brickles said the property around the land ranges between R3 million to R5 million and the family plans to create housing developments. He added that whatever they decide to do with the land, it would have the Brickles surname attached to it.

The City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Malusi Booi joined the Brickles family and other officials in the Human Settlements Directorate for the celebration.

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According to a release shared on Facebook by the city, the late Kenneth Brickles and his brother Eric Brickles lodged the land claim on behalf of their late father, Walter Brickles for the restitution of land rights in March 1997.

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Congratulations to the family

South Africans celebrate the family’s victory:

Barbara Dreyer said:

“Enjoy the land that belonged to your forefathers. It is your congratulations. Make good use of it. There are still many more people that need to take the land back that they were pushed off.”

James Adams wrote:

“All the best to the family hard times you make it.”

Lee-Ann Brickles Joshua added:

“Hopefully the development will get sorted. This has gone on since I can remember.”

ANC plans to ask farmers to donate some land for reform and redistribution, land affairs proposal leaked

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported the African National Congress (ANC) plans to ask farmers to donate portions of the land to allow for land reform and redistribution in South Africa. An Economic Transformation Sub-Committee Policy proposal document was leaked and details on how the Department of Land Affairs will form a Land Reform and Agricultural Agency were disclosed.

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The document was prepared for the ANC policy conference, which is set for July. The proposal emerged under the backdrop of the ruling party’s failure to change the Constitution to be clear on land expropriation without compensation.

The land reform agency will enable processes to assist with land donations, give credit to the farmers donating land, provide financial aid to those benefiting, develop agricultural skills for new farmers and manage state-owned land. Business Tech South Africa reported that the agency will make note of land transactions and accept land that will be reallocated.

Source: Briefly News

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