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THE Department of Rural Development and Land Reform is to kick-start the year with R66m worth of payouts to cover land claims to various communities in the Eastern Cape after the programme stalled for several months in the 2010-11 financial year due to insufficient funds.

The department was allocated R7,3bn in last year’s budget for land reform after being forced to suspend aggressive land purchases in 2010 owing to a lack of funds. The priority for the department was to use the new funds to settle the estimated R500m it could not pay to willing land sellers.

Last month, Rural Development and Land Reform Minister Gugile Nkwinti told land claimants in Graaff-Reinet, where he distributed R100m to beneficiaries, that all land claims would be finalised within 10 years.

The minister also promised to start settling all land claims below R5m to those who have opted for cash instead of reclaiming land.

Mr Nkwinti said yesterday that the timing of the payout later this month “will prove perfect for the parents who will be sending their children to school and tertiary institutions”.

The minister’s spokesman, Mtobeli Mxotwa, said land claimants who had been underpaid in Somerset East would also be receiving a R1,7m top-up to make up for a shortfall in their earlier payout last year.

The Somerset land claimants were forcibly removed from their former homes in Somerset East when the Group Areas Act was passed in 1950.

Mr Mxotwa said officials from the department would next week visit 368 families in Tyutyu village, near Bhisho, to finalise payouts totalling R26m to the victims of forced removals in the area.

The families will be receiving between R56377 and R95303 in compensation for lost properties.

While some of the families lost their homes, there were those who were not compensated for arable or grazing land. The families were forcibly removed to accommodate the now-defunct Ciskei homeland when it was granted “independence” in 1981.

Skobeni village claimants, near Bhisho, will receive R23m, while Balasi village claimants, also near Bhisho, will be paid R16,3m for the loss of their homes when Bhisho became the capital of the Republic of Ciskei.

radebeh@bdfm.co.za

Maqetuka is among 12 young men who are vying for the glory and honour of being crowned the most handsome man in the country.

The 28-year-old filmmaker from Rondebosch, Cape Town, is the only black contestant left in the competition.

He eliminated hundreds of other hunks and made it into the final dazzling dozen.

Mr SA will take place on March 17 in Johannesburg.

Describing himself as creative, the IT specialist-turned filmmaker, who is directing, producing and presenting a mobile show called Zane Ke Bozza, says he is looking forward to putting his Eastern Cape hometown of Graaff Reinet on the map as victor on the night.

He is not only brainy, he is graceful as well.

Maqetuka is well-proportioned, broad-shouldered, deep-chested and has pleasing and impressive muscular contours. Amazingly, this is his first competition. Why has he decided to enter the competition only now?

“My friends said I should enter. I don’t regret it because it has taught me a lot about people and myself.”

This is the first beauty competition the high-end fashion model has ever entered.

He says his brains, beauty and charm have helped him to make it this far in the contest.

It also took diligence and a belief in himself to get so far in the competition, he says.

Maqetuka, who is his mother’s only child, says he wants to make his mother proud by winning.

“She has always been there for me. She single-handedly raised me and made me the man I am today. I want to make her proud by winning,” he says, blushing.

He adds that since he entered the competition life has been a lot more interesting and fun through his meeting other Mr SA contestants.

“I don’t just want to be a handsome face, I want to be the ultimate ambassador for young men who will look up to me. It’s important not to take yourself too seriously and to just enjoy the competition.”

He says Mr SA is not just about looks, but also about confidence and good character. He stresses that it is not about being cocky.

Mr SA contestants are judged on a whole lot of aspects that go to determine the ultimate SA ambassador.

This is just the beginning, though, for Maqetuka. He still has to help raise funds for charity organisations, do social upliftment work, speak around the country and campaign for votes from the public to secure an automatic top-five placement for the main event.

Maqetuka says he hopes that many of his friends and family members will vote for him before the last round.

“I appeal to everyone to vote for me. I promise that I will be a good ambassador and not only in the country. I will also represent my country well in other world competitions.”

The eventual winner will go on to represent South Africa in the Mr World contest later in the year.

To vote for Maqetuka, SMS Mr SA 144 to 34008.

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