Land claim con artists cashing in

THE Department of Rural Development and Land Reform has warned the public against “unscrupulous people” who lie about being co-ordinators of land claims and are collecting money from prospective claimants.

“Within a month of the announcement of the reopening of the land claims process, the office of the regional Land Claims Commission in the Western Cape has been informed people are collecting money from unsuspecting community members, claim- ing to help with land claims.

“We appeal to communities to note that no financial contribution need be paid to any person claiming to assist them in processing restitution claims,” department spokesman Vuyani Nkasayi said last night.

The warning came after the department was inundated with letters and e-mails from people asking for details of payments.

The con artists claimed to work for the department and collected money from unsuspecting people for restitution claims, Nkasayi said.

He said they were not con- fined to any specific area.

“We have had complaints from people in Nyanga, George and Worcester. They (con artists) are working all over. I suspect there are a few groups, like this, working around the province,” he said, adding that complainants were charged about R70.

The department has two lodgement offices in the Western Cape: Van der Sterr Building in Mowbray (call 021 658 4300) and 33 Shamrock Place in George (044 874 0021).

Nkasayi urged people to report unlawful activity to police.