Londolozi backs community in MalaMala land claim

Private game reserve Londolozi recently came to the aid of the Mhlanganisweni community in the community’s land claim against world-renowned game reserve MalaMala.

The Mhlanganisweni community started legal action a few years ago in the Randburg Land Claims Court against MalaMala for the restitution of their land. Spokespeople for the community were quoted in local newspapers as saying they didn’t want money, they wanted their land back.

The future sustainability of MalaMala was a major concern for the court and was the reason Londolozi reportedly signed a memorandum of understanding with the community at the end of last year. In it they promised to manage MalaMala for the community as well as invest R75m to get the business up and running.

Patrick Falconer, attorney for MalaMala, confirmed that evidence had been placed before the court to the effect that Londolozi would provide certain funding and services in the event that the court ruled the restitution of properties was feasible. “However such obligations were conditional and contingent upon a number of issues. It was argued that the said funding was inadequate, unreliable and that the business model proposed by the Claimants and Londolozi would not provide sufficient returns for the claimant community, given the extent of the investment required for the restitution of the properties. This view was adopted by certain of the parties to the litigation including our client and the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform,” said Falconer.

In the event of the restitution of the properties, MalaMala will be entitled to the fair market value of the properties that comprise the MalaMala Game Reserve, the improvements thereon and compensation for the loss of business suffered as a consequence. The obligation to pay such compensation lies with the Government.

Dorine Reinstein