News item: Integrating land tenure management in South Africa
In 2023 and 2024, Kadaster will assist in developing plans for an integrated land registry and cadastre system in South Africa.
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South Africa: Integrating land tenure management
In South Africa, 2 tenure systems co-exist:
- the traditional customary system
- the formalised statutory system
Traditional customary systems of land rights are the oldest tenure system. The formalised statutory system stems from colonialism and apartheid. This system only allows formalised land rights described in a title deed to be registered.
The traditional customary system blocks improvement
Approximately 60% of the population (especially in rural areas) is estimated to hold the traditional customary land rights. This gives insecurity over land rights. The lack of a good functioning land registration system hampers emerging farms to invest when their land is not properly registered. As a result, up-scaling their activities to improve their livelihood and employment opportunities is out of reach.
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