The well attended Kgotha kgothe (general meeting) of the Bafokeng Land Buyers' Association held over the weekend, 02/03/2014, was a resounding success. Most people who attended ushered words of encouragement and a much bigger AGM scheduled for August/September 2014.
Following a presentation by Thusi Rapoo on the state of the Association and its performance for the past six months, the Legal Resources Centre gave an update on the communities' ongoing land claims at the Mafikeng High Court and at the Land Claims Court in Randburg. Dr Gavin Capps called for more research to be conducted in the area.
The Bafokeng chief, Leruo, was admonished for wasting Bafokeng and taxpayers monies on poor (legal) advice he is getting in his failed and ongoing attempt to have 61 farms registered in his name. It is alleged the chief registered a private company/ trust for his (family's) sole interest following a petition by communities last September to have tribal accounts frozen. (Find petition here: Bafokeng Communities' Petition to the State ).
The meeting resolved amongst others to lodge a court challenge to the Municipality's unconstitutional and prohibitive list of requirements as barriers to protest demonstrations. Two of these requirements states that (1) permission should be obtained from the chief allowing communities to march against him (chief), (2) authorization must also be obtained from the chief for communities to gather in public open spots, including parking bay at the Bafokeng Civic Centre or even at the gate/entrance to the Centre.
See the Organisational Report here: BLBA Organisational Report, General Meeting, 02 March 2013
Following a presentation by Thusi Rapoo on the state of the Association and its performance for the past six months, the Legal Resources Centre gave an update on the communities' ongoing land claims at the Mafikeng High Court and at the Land Claims Court in Randburg. Dr Gavin Capps called for more research to be conducted in the area.
The Bafokeng chief, Leruo, was admonished for wasting Bafokeng and taxpayers monies on poor (legal) advice he is getting in his failed and ongoing attempt to have 61 farms registered in his name. It is alleged the chief registered a private company/ trust for his (family's) sole interest following a petition by communities last September to have tribal accounts frozen. (Find petition here: Bafokeng Communities' Petition to the State ).
The meeting resolved amongst others to lodge a court challenge to the Municipality's unconstitutional and prohibitive list of requirements as barriers to protest demonstrations. Two of these requirements states that (1) permission should be obtained from the chief allowing communities to march against him (chief), (2) authorization must also be obtained from the chief for communities to gather in public open spots, including parking bay at the Bafokeng Civic Centre or even at the gate/entrance to the Centre.
See the Organisational Report here: BLBA Organisational Report, General Meeting, 02 March 2013
