UPDATE: Landclaim ‘chief’s’ murder remains a mystery
Both the land claim commission and the attorney who represented “chief” Velaphi Lekhuleni said the massive land claim instituted by the 48-year-old initiation school owner will continue to be processed despite the fact that he had been shot to death last week.
The murder of “chief” Velaphi Victor Lekhuleni in a Mamelodi West street last week will not stop the processing of the massive land claim in the north-east of Tshwane that he had lodged on behalf of the Bakgatla ba Lekhuleni community.
The 48-year-old Lekhuleni was shot in the lower body while visiting his 16-year-old girlfriend last Tuesday evening. The teenager, who asked not to be identified, told Rekord Lekhuleni had been shot three times by two men who then stole the “chief’s” licenced firearm before fleeing in his 7-Series maroon-coloured BMW.
The police are still investigating the murder and robbery but failed to respond to initial speculations that Lekhuleni’s death had something to do with the multi-billion rand land claim that had hundreds of residents in areas such as Wapadrand, Die Wilgers, Silverton, La Montagne, Murrayfield, Mamelodi and the north of the city fuming and concerned.
“We wish to point out that the claim which our client, paramount chief Velapi Victor Lekhuleni had submitted is a claim on behalf of the Bakgatla ba Lekhuleni communities and not on behalf of himself,” attorney for the deceased Vivien de Klerk said.
“His death will therefore not affect the validity of the claim,” De Klerk said, adding that his firm De Klerk and Marais Inc would be requesting the SA Police Service for protection of the other Lekhuleni royal family members while they take the appropriate steps in terms of traditional law and while the police investigation was continuing.
The office of the regional land claims commission confirmed that the massive land claim instituted by “chief” Lekhuleni would continue to be processed, despite the fact that the controversial initiation school owner and alleged self-proclaimed chief was dead.
According to Lerato Sehlapelo of the regional land claims commission, the commission would continue to process the claim on behalf of the Bakgatla ba Lekhuleni community as ordered by the Land Claims Court.
Chief land claims commissioner Nomfundo Gbodo has expressed sadness over the death of Lekhuleni.
“We are deeply shocked and saddened by his death. We send our condolences to his family,” Gobodo said in a statement.
Lekhuleni launched the land claim in October 1996.
It involves almost the entire new east of Pretoria and half of the north of Pretoria including all the suburbs, schools, churches, shopping centres, parks, private homes, farms and smallholdings from Cullinan in the east to Pretoria North and from Wapadrand and the CSIR in Lynnwood stretching north through Mamelodi, over the Magalies Mountain to Derdepoort
At the time, the commission dismissed the claim, but was later ordered by the Land Claims Court to investigate and process the claim.
The claims were then published in the 12 December and 6 February Government Gazettes, creating a major panic among residents in areas involved who immediately jumped into action to draft objections to the claim. AfriSake also joined the fray to object to the claim.
Neigbours of Lekhuleni in Mamelodi East Ward 23 and friends of the family also opposed the land claim, alleging that Lekhuleni was not a chief, had no royal blood and was an imposter.
“He walks around in Mamelodi dressed in skins and traditional garb pretending to be something his is not,” family friends said at the time the claims were made public.
However, De Klerk said his client was the most senior traditional leader of the Bakgatla ba Lekhuleni communities.
Experts have been appointed to not only investigate the legitimacy of the claim, but also that of the “chief”, who stated that during 1958 to 1960, the apartheid government had removed his people from the land and thereby robbed the community of the right to land ownership, grazing, burial sites, crop farming and other traditional rituals.
The 16-year-old girlfriend on Wednesday pointed out the exact spot where Lekhuleni was gunned down. The teenager said Lekhuleni had been her boyfriend for quite some time.
She said Lekhuleni arrived at her house at about 21h00 to visit her. Later they talked outside in his vehicle and while she was sitting in the front passenger seat, the “chief” was standing outside the car.
“Two men, who were sitting in a parked red Volgswagen Golf, approached us on foot. As they came close, they opened fire on Velli, hitting him three times,” she said.
She fled to the gate of her home and looking back, saw the two gunmen searching the body of Lekhuleni, taking his firearm and speeding off in his BMW.
His lifeless body was left in the street, she said, still visibly shocked by her ordeal.
At the time of going to print, no arrests have been made.
Also read:
Land claim continues despite murder of ‘chief’
‘Chief’ left dead with three bullet wounds in street
‘Chief’ land claimant shot and killed
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