ABSTRACT
This chapter shows that land restitution in South Africa offers a context in which old and new interests are contested and negotiated among stakeholders. Nationally, the effects of the repeal of the notorious Land Acts should be evaluated broadly in terms of how far they contribute to de-racializing the land, and to changing the Janus-face of the state. Symbolically, the language of restitution as codified in the classification of urban and rural land claims reproduces that of a divided state. The post-apartheid government attempted to de-tribalize land ownership patterns through the formation of the Communal Property Associations (CPAs). The Makuleke/Kruger agreement sets a precedent for other land claims involving conservation areas. The Makuleke claim represents just a window on the impact and results of the broader transformation process taking place in post-apartheid South Africa. It shows attempts at harmonizing contested local and national goals that are related to the implementation of land reform.
