Application of Section 30 of the Restitution of Land Rights Act in the Courts: Some Guidelines

Abstract

In terms of section 30 of the Restitution of Land Rights Act 22 of 1994, the court is allowed to "admit any evidence, including oral evidence, which it considers relevant and cogent to the matter being heard by it, whether or not such evidence would be admissible in any other court of law". This means that the normal rules of evidence can be relaxed in the case of restitution claims. This articles analyses the way in which courts have dealt with the section, with a specific focus on oral histories. The paper also makes a few suggestions as to how courts can better grapple with the question in the future, to ensure that a strict adherence to the rules of evidence does not preclude justice in the context of land restitution claims.