Restoring Ancestral Lands: The Journey of the ‡Khomani San People

When the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park was proclaimed in the 1930s, it came at a significant cost to South Africa’s First Peoples. The creation of the park disrupted the lives, freedom, and traditions of the ‡Khomani San — one of the last remaining groups of indigenous San people in the region. Some were relocated to the Park Headquarters at Twee Rivieren, but many others were forced to leave their ancestral land, dispersing to Namibia, nearby farms, and distant towns.

This forced displacement marked the beginning of a long struggle for recognition, dignity, and the right to return home. In 1995, after decades of dispossession, the ‡Khomani San lodged a formal land claim for 400,000 hectares in the Kalahari Gemsbok Park.

Years of legal processes, negotiations, and community mobilization followed. Then, on 21st March 1999 — Human Rights Day in South Africa — justice began to take form. In a historic and emotionally charged ceremony attended by hundreds of San people and international media, President Thabo Mbeki signed a Land Claim Settlement Agreement. The agreement transferred ownership of six Kalahari farms, covering approximately 36,000 hectares, to the ‡Khomani San Communal Property Association. Additionally, 25,000 hectares within the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park were committed to community ownership and would be managed as a Contractual National Park in partnership with conservation authorities.

This landmark victory was not just about land; it was about restoring cultural identity, dignity, and a connection to the past. Yet, while the return of land represents progress, many challenges persist. The ‡Khomani San community continues to face significant socio-economic obstacles: limited access to employment, education, and infrastructure remain persistent issues.

The story of the ‡Khomani San is one of resilience, resistance, and a fight for justice. As South Africa continues to confront the legacy of land dispossession, the journey of the ‡Khomani San reminds us of the enduring importance of land as both a physical and spiritual foundation for Indigenous communities.