Joy turns to shock for Cape Town sisters as apartheid-era land restitution brings hefty rates bills

It was a moment of mixed emotions for 83-year-old Juanita Solomon and her 76-year-old sister, Bernice Kallis, as they finally received the title deed to 16 plots of land — totalling 6.5 acres — that were taken from their parents under the apartheid-era Group Areas Act, Cape Argus has reported.

While the return of the land in Retreat, Cape Town, brought a long-awaited sense of justice, it was quickly overshadowed by the unexpected receipt of property rates bills amounting to thousands of rand. The charges, the family believed, should have been waived under land reform exemptions.

Solomon’s parents originally owned the land along 11th Avenue and Leytonstone Road more than 80 years ago. Her father, Isaac Solomon, bought the property when she was just three weeks old. He and his wife farmed cattle and vegetables with their four children until the family was forcibly removed under the Group Areas Act, and the land was sold to the apartheid government.

Following a Cape Argus investigation, Councillor Siseko Mbandezi, Mayoral Committee Member for Finance, confirmed that the City of Cape Town would reverse the property rates account, acknowledging that land reform beneficiaries and their heirs qualify for a full rates exemption for ten years.

“The City of Cape Town's Finance Department confirms that the property was registered at the Deeds Office on 13 August,” said Mbandezi. “All property rates billings issued after this date will be reversed. In addition, a 100% rebate will be applied from the date of registration.”

He explained that after the ten-year exemption period, a phased-in approach would apply, with rates charged at 75%, then 50%, and finally 25% in the following years before reaching the full amount.

Despite the reversal, Solomon expressed frustration at the lack of communication and support since the land was officially returned. “Although the land was finally returned to us, no support has been provided by any government department. The City did not even wait a month before billing us, despite promises of a ten-year exemption,” she said.

She also recalled previous commitments made by former Mayor Patricia de Lille, who handed over the land in a ceremonial event more than a decade ago — only for it to be rescinded the next day due to administrative errors.

Now, with the title deed finally in hand, Solomon says she and her sister had hoped to spend their remaining years living in peace on their ancestral land. “We were promised a city planner and a project manager to help us — but nothing came. We feel forgotten. We feel like we have failed. This land holds our history, our memories, and our identity, but our dream is slipping away again.”

Her grandson, Alfonso Solomon, added that no financial or logistical support has been provided to help the family build homes on the land. “It’s a bittersweet moment. We don’t have the funds to develop the land. My wish is for the government to provide assistance so we can make this a reality.”

The Department of Land Reform and Rural Development has since called for a formal review of the situation and requested documentation from the family. “We ask the Solomon family to submit a copy of the municipal account or statement to the Legal Unit of the Office of the Regional Land Claims Commissioner: Western Cape, so we can engage with the City on this matter.”

Juanita Solomon said she continues to speak out because their story represents many others still fighting for restitution.

“Our story is not just about land — it is about dignity,” she said.

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