oa Alternation - Participatory mobile Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for the regularisation of customary land administration into statutory law: a case of South Africa

Abstract

There is a new and urgent policy re-direction in Africa that seeks to support, modernise and regularise customary land administration into modem law in conformance with constitutionality and general human rights in contrast to earlier campaigns calling for replacement with statutory law adopted from colonial administration (Cotula et al. 2004:5-6; Republic of South Africa 2004:20). A large majority of African populations still live on unregistered communal lands administered under customary land law (Wily 2003:32; United Nations Economic Commission for Africa 2003:2). Southern African countries have developed national land policies mainly aimed at land restitution and land redistribution reform. Recent land reform policies and legislation are putting emphasis on land tenure reform that recognises customary land tenure and administration and gives equal protection to land rights whether under statutory or customary law (Wily 2003:34-38; Cotula et al. 2004:5-7).