Land invasion attempts escalate near Mount Moreland
Originating from a land claim filed by the Qwabe community in 1994 over ancestral land, the disagreement has recently resulted in confrontations, with two significant incidents of attempted land invasion on Tongaat Hullet's Hillhead Estate in February."
A 30-year-old land dispute between Tongaat Hulett (TH) and the Qwabe Traditional Authority has escalated to repeated land invasion attempts near Mount Moreland.
The Qwabe community filed a land claim based on ancestral ownership in 1994.
Eighteen years later, in 2006, a notice for potential dispute was issued and it is understood that about 120 farms, totalling 13 000 hectares, were gazetted.
It appears the Qwabe land claim was initially unsuccessful in court but subsequent to the formation of the Makhosi Khosi Community Trust, it was referred to the Department of Justice.
In February this year tensions boiled over, resulting in two incidents of attempted land invasion at TH owned Hillhead Estate on February 15 and 24, the second requiring intervention by the Saps public order unit.
A Mount Moreland community member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the land invaders have been setting frequent fires and cutting immature sugar cane on Hillhead Estate.
They also allegedly threatened the farmer who leases the land from TH.
The source told the Courier the Qwabe community believed they were the rightful owners of the land from Upper Tongaat to the coast, including Mount Edgecombe.
TH spokesperson Heidi Geldenhuys remained mum about the Qwabe community’s alleged involvement and said the attempted land invasions were undertaken by members of the Waterloo Community Forum. A case was opened at Verulam Saps after the first land invasion.
Shepstone & Wyle Attorneys, representing TH, was more forthcoming and told online news platform, Scrolla on March 7 the Qwabe Traditional Authority had instigated the land occupation by the Waterloo community members.
On what transpired following the first invasion attempt, Geldenhuys said: “The subsequent discussion with the Waterloo community representatives led to an agreement to disperse and meet at a later date. Subsequent meetings on February 16 and 20 were adjourned due to the absence of representatives from Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) and the Regional Land Claims Commission (RLCC), who are crucial to the discussion given that the primary request from stakeholders relates to the need for land for housing.”
She said TH, in collaboration with Saps, were actively monitoring the situation and remained committed to finding a resolution that uphled the rights of all parties involved.
“The company has encouraged all stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue with Cogta and the RLCC. Furthermore, Tongaat Hulett has sent letters to the Waterloo Community Forum informing them that any land invasions would be considered unlawful,” said Geldenhuys.
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