Battle between chief and community continues
We dismiss all the allegations made by the youth of Tukakgomo and we are ready to communicate and work with them in developing our areas," Nkosi said.
STEELPOORT – A month after Steelburger/Lydenburg News published an article about the disgruntled youth of Tukakgomo who were irate with the local chief Kgoshigadi Lamzando Nkosi, accusing her of enriching herself, neglecting the community and giving job vacancies and bursaries from local mines to her family and friends, spokesman for the traditional authority, Mr Makhosini Nkosi, rubbished their comments.
The Bengwenyama ya Maswati Traditional authority said they always practised an open-door policy and had channels through which locals could voice their grievances and dissatisfaction.
“We were never approached by the Tukakgomo development forum (TDF), we never had any complaints as the traditional authority from our people. We want to see the youth achieving their goals and working. We dismiss all the allegations made by the youth of Tukakgomo and we are ready to communicate and work with them in developing our areas,” Nkosi said.
The TDF accused it of using the money meant for the development of the area. They alleged that the chief initiated a trust called Bengwenyama Development Agency, which they said was supposed to serve as a go-between among residents and the mines.
The agency was alleged to be led by the chief’s close allies and friends. They also claimed that the Bengwenyama Development Agency was not democratically elected and never once reported back or addressed the community since 2012.
With the community and the traditional authority at loggerheads, Steelburger/Lydenburg News visited the local royal council to get their views on the matter.
The council accused the traditional authority of taking the needs of the communities for granted.
“We told them before the situation got out of hand that they must not hold meetings without involving the communities; the chief has lost control of the village, said one member of the council who chose to remain anonymous.
Our source continued to reveal that some members of the royal council supported the community and they were ready to participate in their meetings to bring development to Tukakgomo and Eerstegeluk.”
