The impact of monetary compensation as a form of land restitution on the current life-styles of Paarl residents

Abstract

Restitution is a constitutionally mandated programme aimed at redressing the injustices of the apartheid era. Land rights are being addressed via a legal administrative process in order to make some form of reparation. The mission of the Commission on the Restitution on Land Rights is to have persons or communities, in the Western Cape province, who were dispossessed of property after 19 June 1913 as a result of past racially discriminatory laws or practices, restored to such property or receive just and equitable redress. The restitution process is the first programme in South Africa that aims to restore people to the land from where they were dispossessed. The processes and procedures involved are very complex, which could result in slow delivery. The research attempts to determine the impact of monetary compensation as a form of land restitution on the current life-styles of Paarl residents. The research will focus on financially settled claims. The reason for selecting Paarl as a case study was because of the demographics and diversity of the region. This study also includes the history of forced removals in South Africa as well as the local international restitution processes. The study has a descriptive approach. Primary data will be collected by means of questionnaires based on the living standard measurement. The questionnaires will focus on the life-styles of people prior to dispossession and their life-styles after receiving their restitution awards. This study may provide a positive or a negative critique on the restitution process. The study attempted to determine whether restitution provides a better quality of life to the disadvantaged, displaced people of our country and provides an indicator for future similar endeavours.