Around 120 000 new land claims had been received as of December, President Jacob Zuma said during his State of the Nation Address on Thursday.
Watch the highlights from #SONA2016
This was since the reopening of the process for those who missed the 1998 deadline, he said.
"Land reform remains an important factor as we pursue transformation."
Zuma reminded the nation that he spoke this time last year of a Bill that would place a ceiling on land ownership at 12 000 hectares.
It would also prohibit foreign nationals from owning land, allowing long-term leases instead.
The president said this draft Bill would be presented to Cabinet in the first semester of this year.
He also spoke last year of a policy which proposed relative rights for people who lived and worked on farms.
Twenty-seven proposals had been received from commercial farmers, and four were being implemented in the Eastern Cape and the Free State.
Source News 24
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.