NEAR BLOWS AS MAZIYA FACTIONS CLASH

SITEKI – Drama ensued in front of Matsanjeni North Member of Parliament (MP) and Minister of Labour and Social Security Phila Buthelezi when members of two factions from the Maziya Clan almost exchanged blows.

This happened on Tuesday at Maphungwane. It has been alleged that so serious was the altercation that wielding of knobkerries was witnessed. The bone of contention, it was gathered, was a protracted dispute over land allocated for the construction of a high school. It was stated that at noon, while talks were in progress, Dumisa Maziya, a senior member of the Maziya Clan, was detained for three hours in a police van after he allegedly charged towards the main table where Buthelezi and other dignitaries were seated.

Infuriated

It was alleged that Dumisa was carrying a bush knife which was confiscated by the police. It was also gathered that other members of one of the two factions were infuriated by his action and the exchange of unpalatable words was the order of the moment until the situation was calmed. A source who witnessed the incident alleged that the other faction members wielded knobkerries and wanted to fight the advancing elderly man, but police managed to intervene and calmed the situation. “In essence, the land where the school will be built belongs to Dumisa by virtue of the fact that his deceased father left the land to him. However, the other faction claimed that the land was for the community hence the infighting,” alleged the source. Initially, the committee in charge of the construction of the school had convened a meeting to give feedback on its progress.

Invited at the meeting were officers from the Lubombo Regional Education Office and the minister by virtue of being an MP of the area. Lubombo REO Richard Dlamini confirmed, incident. Dlamini said one member of the Maziya Clan charged towards the main table where dignitaries and the minister were seated and the swift response of the police prevented what could have been a nasty situation. The REO said he could not establish whom the elder was intending to attack.  He said the elderly man was taken into a police van where he remained for the duration of the meeting. “We had been invited by the umphakatsi as this has been a process to come and meet the committee in charge of the construction of the school. The ongoing chieftaincy dispute reared its ugly head, but the situation was calmed before it got out of hand,” he said.

He explained that the minister was part of the meeting as an MP of the area to bless the construction of the school and ensure that those behind it were given support. “The meeting went well and we expect that all processes will continue without being interrupted,” added the REO. Dumisa also confirmed that he was detained for three hours and later released after the meeting. He claimed that police told him to come and collect his bush knife from Siteki Police Station commander. “This is my land and I wanted to seek clarity but I was being avoided each time I raised my hand. I then tried to go to the main table to voice my concern but was detained by the police. The land belongs to me and the matter is pending in court,” he alleged. Another senior member of the Maziya Clan, Sikelela, confirmed the situation that unfolded during the meeting. “Dumisa is the owner of the land allocated for the school project and what he was fighting for was that he was being overlooked yet he was the rightful owner. The land has been taken without his permission,” alleged Sikelela.

Comment

Maphungwane Indvuna Morris Mbuli’s  phone rang unanswered when several attempts were made to get seek his comment. Meanwhile, Minister Buthelezi confirmed the drama that ensued during the meeting. The minister said Dumisa wanted to voice out his grievance to the committee in charge of the project. Meanwhile, Buthelezi stated that they were scouting for funders to kick-start the project. “We want construction work to start soon and we will be scouting for funders. The area has been without a high school for a longtime and pupils travel to faraway places, which we are against,” he added. Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector Nosipho Mnguni confirmed the matter. Mnguni said police confiscated the bush knife but a case was not opened against Dumisa.

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