Case Studies

Dwesa-Cwebe

Dwesa-Cwebe is composed of seven rural villages with 2 382 households separated by the Mbashe (Bashee) River. The area is located in the Transkei wild coast along the Indian Ocean. The inhabitants of this area were forcibly removed to make way for a nature reserve.

TRALSO started working with the community in 1992 when there was neither a democratic government nor a land reform programme. The main demand at this stage was for access to the natural resources inside the game reserve from which the communities were denied access. It was concern for the continued environmental integrity of the reserve which prompted the evolution from ‘access’ to a demand for full ownership rights.

The claim went through a process of protracted negotiations which lasted six years. A positive aspect of this was the space it created for the development of institutions and a well informed leadership. On the 17 June 2001, after many delays, the land was officially handed over to the Dwesa-Cwebe Land Trust which is a legal entity acting as land owner for the seven villages. Each of the villages is represented by to members in the trust and in each village there is a Communal Property Association. The trust owns and co-manages the nature reserve, with the department of Economic Affairs and Tourism, via a 21 year lease agreement.

Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs, Mrs. T. Didiza, signing the land settlement agreement for the Dwesa-Cwebe community. She is flanked by TRALSO Acting Director Navy Simukonda and Chief Land Claims Commissioner Adv. Wallace Mqogi







Deputy President Jacob Zuma signing the land settlement at Dwesa-Cwebe












Community Land Claimants

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