MAKHADO - The Limpopo Land Claim Commission vows to finalise all claims in the year 2005, said Cllr Albert Muvhumbe during the meeting held in the Makhado Lapa last Saturday.

Muvhumbe said that there is a constitution that allows a piece of land to return to its owners. The Commission is now dealing with mapping.

The delay was due to the fact that they did not have proper information from the communities. They also said that the redeployment of staff members contributed to the delays. Three reports have been written and the Minister of Agriculture, Thoko Didiza, is settling all the claims. There are about 600 claims and six clusters in the Makhado Municipality.

The commissioner has deployed five people to work in the Vhembe and Mopani Districts and this will make it easy to finalise the claims. Also, a task team composed of Land Bank officers and Land Affairs has been formed to speed up the claims.

Several Chiefs have already claimed that they were removed from Thathe Vondo Forest and they need to return.