Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo
VILLAGERS in Bulilima district’s ward 21, Matabeleland South have accused Chief Mphini of illegally selling their grazing land to various individuals who have since started building houses and shops.
In a letter to the District Development Coordinator, Mr Onesimo Zvogara and copied to the Bulilima Rural District Council chairperson, Councillor Lands Ndebele, the villagers said the area has been their grazing land for the past 74 years.
Last month, Mr Zvogara held a meeting with the villagers over the matter and it was agreed that the council will look into it as a matter of urgency.
“We, the villagers of ward 21 would like to appreciate your response to our request to meet the above office on the volatile grazing land issue. The meeting really went on very well and exposed to all of us that Chief Mphini sold our grazing land we had jealously kept for more than 74 years. Now that it has been sold by an individual because of the love for money and personal gains, we are very angry and cross,” reads the letter by villagers.
They said the matter must be pursued to their satisfaction and raised concern that officials seemed to be taking a lackadaisical approach while those allocated land were continuing with construction instead of being stopped.
“Mr Ndebele promised to come back to us as soon as possible with the results or an outcome. It is now taking too long while the illegal settlers are still busy fast-tracking development, the delays in giving feedback is seen as an advantage given to them directly or indirectly. In this view we are requesting the promised feedback and a system that monitors that the illegal settlers stop building as was agreed on the above dated meeting,” wrote the villagers.
Chief Mphini is on record denying that it was him who sold the land, claiming that it was the village heads.
“This is an old story, something which was done by village heads. In any event, the area which people are complaining about was no longer used for pastures as the livestock are grazing at a nearby farm, Sibantubanye,” said Chief Mphini.
He also claimed that Bulilima Rural District Council had targeted the same land for development as it was closer to their sub-office in the area.
However, Bulilima RDC acting chief executive officer Mr Billiat Mlauzi, said the council is not involved in the allocation of land under dispute.
“As council we are not involved, infact we are disappointed that the piece of land has been allocated to some villagers because it was part of our long-term plan as we expand but on this particular matter, we are no way near the allocation of the stands,” said Mr Mlauzi.
