BARBERTON – The arrest of five Kosovo Village residents has been described by the leadership who orchestrated their stay as intimidation tactics by the municipality miusing tax payers funds.
Mxolisi Mhlanga, Thomas Masilela, Themba Madonsela and Herbert Sibanyoni were arrested on Sunday evening in their “homes” at Kosovo.On their arrest, they were charged with trespass but at the Barberton Magistrate’s Court on Monday when they appear they faced a different charge – that of contravening the court order.
Infuriated Vusi “Mr Human Settlement” Gwebu, who orchestrated the settlement of the residents of Kosovo on Monday, said the municipality was playing hide and see games. “Why these four has been arrested. The court order that was issued was against me and some of our committee. If the municipality, using the state organs (police) wanted to arrest, they should have been arrested me,” said Gwebu, speaking to Barberton Times outside the court on Monday.
“I’m here to bring myself to the court. These people are innocent- what have they been arrested for – first they said they were arrested for trespassing and today it’s for contravening the court order. These are the tactics of the municipality to intimidate us”.
“At Lurex, because is a private land, people have been allowed to build houses, here because it’s our land they refuse us. To make it clearly to them, we know their corrupt tactics. We have heard that the Lurex plot have been bought by Willem Magagula and Bongani Sibiya and they want to enrich each other,” added Gwebu.
Magagula and Sibiya are the infamous businessmen who own Bongiveli CC. Their empire is notorious known for buying farms and sells them at exorbitant price. Among the farms they have bought include the 414-hectare farm that they originally purchased from Fremax Farms for R11, 9-million and immediately resold it to the Msukaligwa Municipality at a huge profit of R36, 4-million.
“Why we are not allowed to stay here. Is it because the land belongs to the municipality whereas the other side belongs to a certain individuals. Are these political games, intimidations or way to enrich certain individuals?” asked Gwebu.
Barberton Times reporter can confirm that while on the scene at the Lurex plot, Umjindi Chief building inspector, Mfana Nkosi and two officials, whom we later established they were from the department of human settlement arrived. They allegedly, according to the residents, to continue build their structures, but not to continue a certain drawn line that belongs to the Umjindi line.
And what also appear to upset the Kosovo residents is that certain individuals has already declared their support for the newly formed Economic Freedom Fighters led by Julius “Juju” Malema.
“What we have discovered at the other side (Lurex Plot) is that majority of those people are foreigners who had no identity documents. With the national elections coming next year, don’t be surprised to find them all with IDs and be convinced to join the ruling party,” added Gwebu.
Umjindi spokesman, Sam Jele, finally revealed to this reporter that he has been banned to speak to the media. However, Barberton Times send questionnaires to him and requested that it should also be forward to Johan Badenhorst, Umjindi chief operation officer. The executive mayor, Cllr Lazarus Mashaba, was also phoned on Monday, but didn’t pick up his mobile phone. As a result, at the time of going to print we couldn’t get comment from the Umjindi council.
