Nkuzi is a non profit organisation registered in South Africa as a section 21 company (97 20743/08) and providing a range of support services to historically-disadvantaged communities wishing to improve their rights and access to land.
Nkuzi started operating early in 1997 and now has twenty one full time staff and five full time volunteers working throughout the Limpopo Province, northern parts of Mpumalanga Province and with farm residents in Gauteng Province.
The core purpose of Nkuzi is to enable and support marginalised rural and peri-urban communities in exercising their land and related rights. Our aim is to facilitate the acquisition of land and its productive and sustainable use.
– In the pursuance of this purpose Nkuzi has the following Objectives:
– To redress the present racially skewed patterns of land use and control in South Africa;
– To ensure equitable participation of youth and women in land initiatives;
– To promote the creative and sustainable land use based on the appreciation of the value of land;
– To support the creation of a dynamic and critically aware land rights movement;
– To develop and promote pro-poor agrarian reform policies and methodologies;
PRINCIPLES AND BOUNDARIES!
In its operations NKUZI is bound by the following set of principles: Equal rights, respect and equal treatment for all regardless of race, ethnic origin, gender, sexual preference or political persuasion. In order to fulfil this principle Nkuzi will be actively anti-racist and anti-sexist and work towards the redressing of inequalities within society that are base on racial, sexual or other prejudices.
Peoples right to be involved in their own development and to have a say in issues which affect their lives. In order to fulfil this principle Nkuzi will actively seek to engage people in decision making around developments which will affect them.
The right of all to a life of dignity which requires a reasonable level of housing, food, security, comfort, education and opportunities for dignified work. In order to fulfil this Nkuzi will work to eradicate inequalities and injustices in society which have prevented people having a life of dignity.
Nkuzi works from four offices situated in Polokwane (Main Office), Elim, Acornhoek and Pretoria. Having these different offices makes Nkuzi more accessible to local communities and reduces the cost of getting to other areas.
The work of Nkuzi is largely grant financed from a range of different funders. Current main funders include HorisonT3000 (Austria), Open Society Foundation, Christian Aid, Foundation for Human Rights, Ford Foundation and funds channelled through the National Land Committee. Some money is earned through taking on contracts for government or other institutions.