Makuleke tribe

The Maluleke tribe, together with their near-relatives, finally settled at the Limpopo river and parts of South Africa led by their tribal leader King Mashakadzi between the 1500s and middle 1600s.

This led to the Maluleke tribe being forcefully removed from the Kruger National Park by the Apartheid regime to make way for the establishment of the conservation area in 1969.

Under the new democracy of South Africa, the Maluleke tribe were afforded an opportunity to reclaim the land and filed a land-restitution claim which they won.

They negotiated with the South African National Parks organization and reached a settlement under the Land Claims Court which they were given membership to the eco-tourism management of the area under the Maluleke Communal Property Association in 1998.

According to the contractual agreement, after the 20 years have elapsed either of the signatories can request for the Maluleke Region to be excluded from the demarcation of the Kruger National Park.