Times Of Swaziland: ROYAL MISSION FOR MANGWANENI DISPUTE

ROYAL MISSION FOR MANGWANENI DISPUTE
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   BY SITHEMBILE HLATSHWAYO on 12/05/2020 00:10:00


MBABANE – The advent of coronavirus did not stop BakaNgwane, Ministry of
Housing and Municipal Council of Mbabane from establishing the demarcation of
Mangwaneni Royal Kraal and residential area.
The dispute, which has been dragging for some years, yesterday saw the arrival
of Indvuna Lusendvo Fakudze, which brought some glimmer of hope to the residents
who had already assembled at the royal kraal.  Their hope was, however, cut
short by a group of over 10 policemen who stopped the residents dead in their
tracks from being part of the meeting.
According to a well-placed source, deliberations touched upon the demarcations
as per the map from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy.
A tour around Mangwaneni was later undertaken by the team, to ascertain how
council was part of the area. Surveyor General Sidney Simelane led the
delegation, which was shown a fence separating the royal kraal which did not
fall under the Municipal Council of Mbabane. In a brief interview with Simelane,
he said his responsibilities were to show the fence which was protecting the
royal kraal.
Shortly after the inspection, Indvuna Fakudze assembled the people and reported
that they had come to inspect how huge the royal kraal was along with tihonco
and they would report back to Their Majesties.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development Prince Simelane said there was nothing
other than confirming the separation of the royal kraal from the residential
area. The minister said they would be reporting back to Nkhanini on Friday on
the findings and come with the final solution on Mangwaneni.
As the official meeting continued, residents also held theirs separately where
they made it known that they wanted council to furnish them with title deeds
that showed that they were land owners. The residents said they were officially
allocated land by the royal kraal and would continue to report there.
They also held placards stating that they did not want council in the area.
Residents spoke in one accord that council allegedly wanted to rob them of their
land under the guise that they would be bringing development in the area.
“There are elderly people here who will not afford to secure title deeds and
pay rates,” said the residents. They said council’s intentions were to grab
their land.
About a week ago, the same residents held a meeting where they vowed to report
the minister of housing at Ludzidzini.
During a recent press conference, the minister said after the COVID-19 pandemic,
they would take action against residents who continued to break the law at
Mangwaneni by extending their houses. He said they would continue the process of
plot allocations as well.
Prince Simelane made the statement in the wake of demolition orders being served
to the residents who were extending or renovating their homesteads.
According to the minister, there was complete disorder that needed to be
corrected at Mangwaneni.
The residents said council was waging war and would surely get what they wanted.
They said the minister was being misled by council on the position of
Mangwaneni.
They said BakaNgwane made it clear that the area was not under the urban
boundaries and were surprised where the minister got the information that they
were under the municipality from.
“As far as we are concerned, we report to kaNgwane and not council,” the
residents said.
According to the residents, the minister had to visit them and hear their side
of the story, adding that as it was, he was taking the council’s side. “We
will not sit and fold our arms and watch council continue to trouble us,” said
the residents.
They wondered what interest council had in Mangwaneni as they had been told on
numerous occasions that they were overstepping boundaries because Mangwaneni
allegedly did not fall under the urban boundary.
Dumisani Magagula noted that council was not willing to work with the people.