Two Families Evicted in eNkwalini – Forty More Under Threat

The Mbambo and Shobete families have had their homes destroyed by a farmer, Louis John Nel, in eNkwalini which is between eShowe, Melmoth and eMpangeni. Around fifteen people have been left homeless as a result of the eviction. These people were born on this land. They are now sleeping in their friends and neighbour’s homes. They have been given a document which indicates that around 40 homes will be demolished in total.

The farmer claims to have bought the land in 2008 and he has a title deed. He has no court order for the eviction but a notice was put up on the 17th of June instructing the two families that they must be in court in Pietermaritzburg on the 21st of June. The notice of motion was also sent to the Municipality, the Department of Land Affairs and Rural Development and the local Inkosi, Mr. S.T. Zulu. The Inkosi invited the farmer and the Department to a meeting to discuss the matter but the farmer refused.

The two families were represented by a lawyer from Legalwise, Mr. Phiri. He advised Mr. Mbambo that there was no need to come to court as the lawyers would resolve the issue out of court. This was understood to mean that there would be no eviction. But in fact the two families were then given a document stating that they would break down their own houses themselves. It seems that the people have been betrayed by their lawyer and that he made his own deal, against the people, without consulting them. They do not accept this deal. Everyone is clear that even if the farmer does have the real title deeds the land still belongs to the community. No piece of paper can change that.

It’s not clear to the people on this land how Mr. Nel came to have a title dead for it. Before Mr. Nel there was another farmer, Mr. Channels, who claimed that land. He said that he had bought it from NBS. There was a bitter dispute between Mr. Channels and the community that resulted in the loss of life. According to the community the land is under the control of the Inkosi and it belongs to the Ngonyama Trust.

The community has called an urgent meeting at which a way forward will be discussed and decided on. The Department of Land and Rural Affairs has agreed to meet with the community to discuss this matter on Tuesday.

As the Rural Network we continue to insist that the social value of land has to be put before its commercial value. An economic system that thinks that it is fine for a man to come with a piece of paper that allows him to make poor people homeless people is not acceptable to us.

For comment and further updates please contact:

Reverend Mavuso, The Rural Network, 072 279 2634
Mr. Gumede, local community leader: 072 485 8330