Thohoyandou court blocks land allocation by traditional council

Quick read 

• The Thohoyandou High Court has interdicted the Davhana Traditional Council from allocating or selling land on Farm Doornspruit 41 near Mpheni.

• Landowner Takalani Ramavhunga lodged an urgent court application after discovering stands demarcated and trees cleared on his property.

• Judge Violet Semenya’s ruling prohibits any promotion, occupation, or construction on the land until further notice.

• Ramavhunga says no official land claim or notice has been served to him despite rumours of one being filed.

• Davhana denies selling land, citing a historical claim from the former Venda government.

• Other farmers have raised similar concerns, with allegations of disturbed ancestral graves surfacing.

• Full story below

Full story 

LIMPOPO – The Davhana Traditional Council has been barred by the Thohoyandou High Court from allocating and selling land on a disputed farm near Mpheni after farm owner, Mafhungo Takalani Ramavhunga lodged an urgent court application.

The court interdict, issued on June 10 by Judge Violet Semenya, prohibits traditional leader Vhamusanda Vho Frank Davhana and others from demarcating, promoting the occupation, or carrying out any construction on the farm Doornspruit 41.

This follows Ramavhunga’s discovery of several stands being marked out and trees cleared on land that legally belongs to his family.

“I found people on my property laying out stands and cutting down trees.

“They said they were acting with authority, but I was never consulted,” said Ramavhunga, whose late father, Nyamukamadi Ramavhunga, owned the farm. He expressed concern over what he called an “invasion” of his property, citing the difficulty of removing illegal occupiers once they settle.

Ramavhunga added that he had heard of a land claim being filed by Davhana on behalf of the community, but said he had received no official documents or gazetted notices.

One of the named respondents in the case is a bus company believed to have plans to build a depot on the land.

In response, Davhana denied the allegations, claiming the land had been granted to him by the former Venda government and that he had not sold any portion of it. He was, however, unable to explain who was responsible for the alleged sales when asked.

Other farmers have since come forward with similar complaints, with some community members even accusing Davhana of disturbing ancestral graves in the area.

The court ruling now places a temporary hold on further land allocation or development.