ABATHEMBU King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo is once again courting controversy after he yesterday advertised plans for a community-based development outside Mthatha on property under a land claim.
Dalindyebo yesterday advertised a notice for the development in yesterday’s Daily Dispatch, calling for objectors to his proposed plans.
“In recent years the king has seen his people suffer, leaving town to other areas because of lack of employment, but with this new development, Mthatha will be back to its former glory,” said Mtirara.
But the Zimbane land claimants, a community which made headlines for lodging the biggest land claim in the Eastern Cape, including most of the Mthatha CBD, said the portion of land belonged to them.
The group’s chairman, Mika Mazwana, said: “It was good for them to put a notice to the public for the community to have a say.”
But Mtirara said the king was taking back the land as people were fighting over it.
“The king has seen a dispute between the claimants and the municipality fighting over the land while the people are starving. He is taking over the land to develop for his people,” said Mtirara.
The piece of land has been the subject of dispute and developers were recently stopped while clearing the site to build a R320-million shopping mall.
The notice published in the Dispatch said Dalindyebo, in his capacity as king and heir to the AbaThembu throne, as well as the main custodian of communal lands belonging to the AbaThembu people, had plans to develop and transform the site into a “world-class community-based development”. The notice further states it would “accelerate development in the area and create much-needed sustainable employment for the community”.
Anyone with any claim on the property has been advised to lodge their claims within 30 days.
A legal firm representing Dalindyebo, XM Petse Incorporated, said its mandate was to advise the king on legal matters around the proposed development.
Attorney Hymie Zilwa said they did not know what the king was planning to do.
“All we are doing is to legally represent him on this matter,” said Zilwa.
Attempts to obtain comment from KSD municipality were unsuccessful at the time of going to print yesterday. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
King plans mall on disputed land
Dalindyebo yesterday advertised a notice for the development in yesterday’s Daily Dispatch, calling for objectors to his proposed plans.
“In recent years the king has seen his people suffer, leaving town to other areas because of lack of employment, but with this new development, Mthatha will be back to its former glory,” said Mtirara.
But the Zimbane land claimants, a community which made headlines for lodging the biggest land claim in the Eastern Cape, including most of the Mthatha CBD, said the portion of land belonged to them.
The group’s chairman, Mika Mazwana, said: “It was good for them to put a notice to the public for the community to have a say.”
But Mtirara said the king was taking back the land as people were fighting over it.
“The king has seen a dispute between the claimants and the municipality fighting over the land while the people are starving. He is taking over the land to develop for his people,” said Mtirara.
The piece of land has been the subject of dispute and developers were recently stopped while clearing the site to build a R320-million shopping mall.
The notice published in the Dispatch said Dalindyebo, in his capacity as king and heir to the AbaThembu throne, as well as the main custodian of communal lands belonging to the AbaThembu people, had plans to develop and transform the site into a “world-class community-based development”. The notice further states it would “accelerate development in the area and create much-needed sustainable employment for the community”.
Anyone with any claim on the property has been advised to lodge their claims within 30 days.
A legal firm representing Dalindyebo, XM Petse Incorporated, said its mandate was to advise the king on legal matters around the proposed development.
Attorney Hymie Zilwa said they did not know what the king was planning to do.
“All we are doing is to legally represent him on this matter,” said Zilwa.
Attempts to obtain comment from KSD municipality were unsuccessful at the time of going to print yesterday. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
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