Mercury: Clan may go human rights route

http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4752960

Clan may go human rights route

December 09, 2008 Edition 1

NATHI OLIFANT

THE community of Macambini, near Mandeni on the Zululand coast, will seek the intervention of the South African Human Rights Commission in its efforts to repel the construction of a multibillion-rand development on their land.

The community last week blockaded the N2 and R102 routes in protest, raising fears that holidaymakers might not be able to reach coastal destinations.

Khanyisani Shandu, of the Macambini Anti-Eviction Committee, said: “We want to avoid the confrontation we had with the police last week and will look at approaching the Human Rights Commission.”

He said they had resolved at a weekend meeting that although their attempts to reach the KZN government had drawn a blank, they would continue lobbying for their right to live on Macambini land.

Shandu said they had not ruled out challenging the KZN government and Dubai-based developer Ruwaad Holdings in court. He said that forcing the Macambini clan off the land would be a human rights violation and the clan would therefore seek the intervention of the commission.

Meanwhile, the ANC Youth League has accused local traditional leader Khayelihle Mathaba, of the IFP, of politicising the development issue.

The league’s Bheki Mtolo apparently attacked Mathaba for stalling the development, which could benefit many people. In response, the IFP’s Thulasizwe Buthelezi appealed to the youth league to “stop meddling in matters that are beyond their understanding”.

Buthelezi expressed support for Mathaba and the Macambini clan.

“What type of development project forces people off their land? The KZN premier, S’bu Ndebele, and his people must honour and respect the wishes of the Macambini community by withdrawing the proposed Ruwaad project,” he said.

Buthelezi was among Mathaba’s delegates who signed an agreement with a rival Dubai-based company for another development which would not require people to be moved