Ingonyama Trust hit by landmark judgment
The Pietermaritzburg High Court has ruled in favour of people living on their ancestral land under the Ingonyama Trust in KwaZulu-Natal.
The court declared the trusts' policy of making people sign leases to live on their ancestral land as unconstitutional and unlawful.
The court made the ruling on Friday morning.
The Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution's (Casac) Lawson Naidoo says the trust is expected to pay back the money owed to people.
"They did not have the authority to dilute the right that people enjoy under the customary land.
"The trust has been directed by the court to reimburse for all rands that the people have paid on that land.”
