Young villagers tell headman to leave

A PEACEFUL march turned violent when fists started flying after the young people of Siyandhani village went to demand that a headman left the village recently.

The headman, Amos Chavalala, known as Jazeera is apparently one of two headmen in the village that the youth want gone. The reason, according to Musa Maswanganyi, deputy chairperson of the village’s youth movement, is that these headmen report to Hosi Penny Ngove, who some villager refuse to recognise as their chief. Instead, they recognise Hosi Famanda Chavalala Siyandhani who lives in the same village.

Members of the youth movement had previously held a meeting with the two headmen during which they were given 10 days to leave the village and move to Ngove village where the chief they acknowledge lives.

“We’re the only village in the province situated near a town that has no water or other services, because we’re divided between two chiefs,” Maswanganyi said.

On being reminded by the marching youth movement members that his deadline to move had almost been reached, Jazeera, who was sitting in a chair chatting with friends, enquired who wanted him to go. Maswanganyi responded, saying the entire community wanted him gone.

Jazeera calmly agreed with a smile on his face but as the youngsters were leaving, there was a scuffle and fists started flying between the youth members and members of Jazeera’s household.

The situation was quickly brought under control by some women who were in the house at the time, who rushed outside and restored order.

Youth movement members then made their way on to the second unwanted headman’s house, which was delivered in an orderly fashion by youth leaders escorted by the police, who had arrived in the meantime.

The situation follows in the wake of an ongoing war between Ngove and Siyandhani, which has failed to be resolved in spite of mediation by the deputy minister for rural development and land reform Thembelani Nxesi in 2011.

Ngove was not available for comment on the matter.