The dispute over land has become a huge problem in the Colenso area. Recently, MEC for Transport, Community Safety & Liaison Mxolisi Kaunda addressed the community in this regard.
In 1998, the community, through Sibuyelwe Matiwane Community Trust, lodged a land claim with the Department of Land Affairs. The claim was investigated by the Land Claims Commission in 2002 and the Minister of Land Affairs approved the claim of 8000 hectares of land.
From 2002, the department began to release the land to the trust beneficiaries. Since the land falls under Inkosi Mabaso, it is alleged that a local Induna has been illegally selling land to people from outside the community.
Kaunda urged the community and the traditional leadership who are entangled in the land dispute to work together and respect the rule of law.
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The chairperson of the trust claimed that about 20 houses have been illegally built on the land. In an attempt to stop the illegal sale of land, the trust sought a court interdict to prevent illegal occupation of the land.
Kaunda has urged both the trust and the traditional leadership to work together to resolve the dispute amicably.
He also called upon the traditional leadership to respect the court interdict which prevents illegal sale and occupation of land under the trust. “I have issued a clear instruction to the police that they must enforce the court interdict and anyone who continues to build illegally on the land under the trust must be arrested. If the traditional leadership has a problem with the manner in which the land was allocated to the trust, it must approach the court,” said Kaunda.
The MEC has committed to discuss the matter with MEC for Co-operative Governance & Traditional Affairs Sipho Hlomuka and request him to engage the traditional leadership in the area.
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