BOUNDARIES DISPUTES

I read with interest the article in your publication dated November 23, 2017 regarding the mushrooming of homesteads at Motshane.

In my view the matter needs to be dealt with holistically as such unauthorised developments are not confined to Motshane Chiefdom only but have also encroached into the neighbouring chiefdoms as well, such as Mpolonjeni and Kupheleni. Similarly, encroachments into Motshane from the other two chiefdoms also exist.  The boundaries separating these three chiefdoms are no longer clear. In order to avoid the looming boundaries disputes between these three chiefdoms it may be paramount for the Land Management Board (LMB), the Elections and Boundaries Commission and the standing Council at Ludzidzini, that deals with such matters, to jointly adjudicate on the disputes so that these issues are not unnecessarily prolonged or dealt with partially.

To shed some light, history has it that before Motshane and Mpolonjeni became chiefdoms on their own, communities in these areas owed allegiance to the Kupheleni Chiefdom. Mkhulu Mbetsam’lente Shongwe (Madzambane’s father) led the Shongwes of Motshane and Mkhulu Jabhane Dvuba led the Dvubas of Mpolonjeni. Both these men were Kupheleni tindvuna. The Kupheleni Chiefdom was assigned the responsibility of establishing the boundaries between all three chiefdoms and ensured that there were no boundary disputes. The demarcation line between Mpolonjeni and Kupheleni ran along the Ntambande River down to the King’s forest.

That is between Motshane and Kupheleni, from Motshane school to the MR3 Highway in the northeast near Darkton Store. However, over the years the power and authority of the Kupheleni Chiefdom seems to have waned, presumably as a result of a couple of extended periods of time, each without a substantive chief and internal conflict at the royal kraal, thus throwing the original communities’ settlement plan into disarray. I would, therefore, on behalf of the affected homesteaders who have built their homes inside the disputed boundary line in each of these chiefdoms, encourage the LMB and its allied committees to facilitate a transfer of such homes to the rightful chief and to impose the appropriate fines to the illegally settled homesteads rather than order that the already built structures be demolished. This will ensure peace and stability in the affected areas.

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