Power to the people!

B-Metro Reporter
AMANDLA!

The village head of MakhwiliAï¿½ Ward 13 in Godzo Tsholotsho, Methusi Ndlovu woke up to the songs of about a 300-strong crowd of villagers protesting outside his homestead.

Like a scene from South African Venda soapie Muvhango, it was a protest against fraudulent conduct by the local leadership.

Ndlovu and the headman, Ngobiwo Muthobiaï¿½ï¿½s transgression against the community was that they allocated the villageaï¿½ï¿½s traditional grazing land to one Owen Sibanda of Dogwe area in Tsholotsho.

The villagers had failed to get rid of Sibanda who was armed with a document signed by community leaders and the council. Therefore, he was occupying the land legally but village power scored a victory forcing the council, village head and headman to retract the offer.

aï¿½?That land belongs to the local community and it has always been spared for a number of purposes and that should be respected. The community was benefiting from it in many ways and I totally understand them when they fight for it.

aï¿½?We have discussed the matter with other community leaders and the Rural District Council who had signed in approval to authorise Sibanda to take up the land and we have agreed that he vacates with immediate effect,aï¿½? said Chief Magama.

Now Sibanda is left counting his losses.

aï¿½?Itaï¿½ï¿½s unfortunate the young man had started developing the land, with structures halfway through despite the disgruntlements by villagers. Unfortunately now his resources will go to waste as villagers canaï¿½ï¿½t wait to destroy all what he had started, leaving the land clear for grazing with the other part reserved for their irrigation scheme,aï¿½? added chief Magama.

The Tsholotsho Rural District Council (RDC) is not taking the blame.

aï¿½?Communal land is allocated by traditional leaders who include the chief, village head and headman, then once those leaders approve, we then allocate. It has since been noted that this was not an agreed deal and we have agreed to cancel the endorsement,aï¿½? said Chief Executive Officer for Tsholotsho RDC, Themba Moyo.

A villager, also Chairperson of the Business Association, Mtshiso Zitha said the land issue was sensitive because villagers had threatened violence if Sibanda did not leave their village.

aï¿½?Villagers marched to the village headaï¿½ï¿½s home but the situation was controlled such that there was no violence.

However the villagers are angry over endless promises that Sibanda would vacate yet he is being seen continuing developing the land. It is alleged Sibanda intends to rear cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, chicken among other farm activities in the one-kilometre by one-kilometre land.

aï¿½?We saw him start developments on April 19 and we engaged the Minister of State, Member of Parliament and the area chief who all agreed that Sibanda should vacate. The headman disputed the allegations saying the letter was forged as he never signed it, while the village head says he signed unaware. Ward councillor Clement Ndlovu refused to sign the letter when he was approached,aï¿½? he said.

Zitha said Sibanda was ordered by authorities to leave since April 22 but to date he continues to construct structures.

aï¿½?Last Monday he was given five days to leave but he didnaï¿½ï¿½t, this prompted infuriated villagers to march and threaten violence. As we speak, we are running around with the chief and other leaders, processing documents which declare that he vacates as soon as possible,aï¿½? he said. .