AfricaPress-mozambique: Vila de Moatize Municipal Council, in partnership with the mining company Vale Mozambique, recently handed over more than 1,000 Land Use and Benefit Right Titles (DUATs) to families resettled in Cateme and Chipanga.
The delivery of the DUAT titles took place in a phased manner, initially benefiting more than 290 families in Chipanga and, later, 712 families from Cateme.
In Chipanga, the DUATs were handed over to the community on May 27 in a ceremony attended by the president of the municipal council , Carlos Portimão, representatives of Vale Moçambique and community leaders.
Speaking on the occasion, Portimão thanked Vale for its support, highlighting the importance of the DUAT as a guarantor of land ownership for the communities. “The acquisition of DUATs is a very important milestone for these families, as these are documents that give the land ownership power for any eventuality,” he said.
At Cateme, the handover ceremony took place last Saturday, June 5th, as part of the World Environment Day celebrations.
The event was attended by the head of the Governor’s Office, Romeu António (representing the governor); the Permanent Secretary of the District of Moatize, Salvador Zacarias; Vale sustainability manager for Africa, Marco Frões; plus community leaders and the wider community.
For the beneficiary families, the event is of great relevance, as it guarantees their occupation of the land.
“The feeling is indescribable. For the first time, I’m going to live on land that no one will be able to usurp. Even when I’m no longer here, my descendants will be able to live here, safe from disputes,” Chipanga resident António Separado said.
Speaking for the families of Cateme, Gilo Egidio highlighted the significance of the DUAT in possible disputes.
“The DUAT is fundamental in solving land-related problems in our communities, and this partnership between the government and Vale shows that working together leads to positive results,” he said.
The mining company Vale believes that the community obtaining DUATs demonstrates the company’s intention to continue working to improve its relationship with the communities.
“Vale’s investments in Chipanga neighbourhood are not limited to financing the acquisition of DUATs. Throughout this process, and in partnership with the Municipal Council, we have invested in health, schools, a soccer field, etc. For us, the main focus is on improving the relationship between Vale and the communities affected by the implementation of coal mining,” sustainability manager at Vale Moçambique Marco Frões observed.
By supporting guaranteed land title, Vale Moçambique hopes to contribute to the well-being and sustainable development of the communities in which it operates.