Khoisan demand recognition, land

The Khoisan demanded recognition and that their land claims be addressed in a protest outside the department of rural development and land reform in Pretoria on Tuesday.

The group of about 20 Khoisan was watched by Tshwane metro police as Stephen Katz, of the SA Progressive Civic Organisation, handed a memorandum to a senior department official.

In the memorandum the group demanded that the Khoisan be recognised as the first indigenous nation in South Africa.

Katz said that according to the South African Constitution, the Khoisan did not exist and he demanded that their land claims be addressed.

"We wish to remind the state president of his statement made at our national consultative conference on 29 March 2001.

"He acknowledged us as the first indigenous nation of South Africa and that we will be granted recognition enabling us to have access to our dispossessed land," Katz said.

Civic organisation AfriForum Youth has issued a statement in support of the Khoisan "against the distortion and denial of the history of minorities".