MINERAL Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe praised Anglo American Platinum for giving back land.
Mantashe recently addressed hundreds of people in Paardekraal, outside Rustenburg in North West, as the mining company handed over 270 hectares of land to the municipality.
Mantashe said South Africa’s history could not be separated from mining.
The voluntary return of land shows there’s no need to grab it because it will be given back to you,” he said.
Rustenburg mayor Mpho Khunou thanked the community for not becoming land grabbers. He said the land would be used to build houses.
Residents of the Popo Molefe and Mbeki Sun squatter camps have been identified to occupy the land.
Mining company CEO Chris Griffith said 4 000 houses could be built on the land.