Protesters outside the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court. Image: Supplied.
Tensions rose between Endlovini residents and neighbouring farmers on the R38 towards Barberton, Mpumalanga on Friday morning.
The Endlovini residents barricaded the Glenwood Road leading to Umbali Accommodation in what neighbouring farmers said was an attempt to grab land in the area.
The simmering feud came to the boil after an interdict was instituted by Carel Myburgh against seven respondents, who said they have ties to the land and have lodged a land claim with the department of rural development and land reform.
Fana Nkosi, who is one of the respondents, claimed that this had been ongoing for some 22 years. He added that he was born and raised on the land in question, which is portion 84 of Cromdale Farm.
According to Nkosi, his life has been threatened on a number of occasions, most recently on Monday.
“Since 2018, my life has been threatened by farmers who told me that they would kill me wherever they find me. This past Monday, a farmer in the area arrived in a vehicle with two occupants, demanding to know where the induna was.
“I was away in Barberton to consult with my lawyer at the time and when I returned, the community informed me that my neighbour, who is an old man, had been beaten and I was warned not to sleep at home,” Nkosi said.
The ANC and EFF youth leagues in Ward 15 have since joined the fray after the court interdict was granted to the farmers, calling for the cessation of building structures on the land until the respondents appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
Nkosi continued to say that the interdict stipulated that no new structures were to be erected, but that the farmers had violated this order by erecting a fence, ostensibly to keep him and other inhabitants off the land.
Nsizwa Progress Nkosi of the Ward 15 ANC Youth League, weighed in on the debate and said: “They are not prepared to wait for the outcome of the court interdict and are erecting fencing to keep us out.
“A land claim was made in 1998 on behalf of Fana Nkosi’s descendants. His family’s remains are buried on the land, along with the remains of other occupants. Recently, the farmers used a grader to demolish those graves, which is nothing short of desecration,” said Nsiwa.
Among the police and security companies on the scene, was ACS Security senior and relationship manager, John Meintjies, who had been called to monitor the situation and restore calm.
“There are three properties at the centre of the dispute. These belong to Maurizo Patrizio, who has since left the area, Josef Oosthuizen and Carel Myburgh. The latter obtained a court interdict against the protesters with the proviso that all building ceases.”
About five weeks ago, the group’s leadership started parcelling out the land, saying that there was a land claim.
“To my knowledge, this has not been gazetted and the problems started when the landowners began erecting fencing to prevent entry into the different properties,” said Meintjies.
Tersia Marshall, the Ward 15 DA councillor explained: “A few months ago, the group alleged that there was a valid land claim for Cromdale. This was not picked up on the Land Claims Commissioner’s system, but there was one for Hermannsburg.
“This is the reason why the court interdict was obtained and authorised. They are not willing to follow the correct procedures to obtain the land,” Marshall said.
She further alleged that unscrupulous land grabbers have started claiming demarcated land and charging R500 to secure occupants’ right to build on the stands.
This was denied by the Endhlovini Development chairperson, Essau Nkosi, who said: “There are no stands for sale. The monies collected are for us to be able to hire graders to open up the land so we can continue building.
“We have graves here which have been desecrated and we seek to protect our land and these graves.”
Allegations have been made that land is being rented to about 300 foreigners who are occupying it and have access to water, while Endhlovini residents do not.
“They are renting, but we are called trespassers on the land on which we were born and where our families’ graves are. We are not chasing anyone away. If the farmers are prepared to live alongside us, we can accept that and we are calling on government to help us,” said one of the respondents, Humphrey Nkosi.
The tense standoff continued until the EFF provincial chairperson, Collen Sedibe intervened, asking that the protesters disperse.
The matter was heard in the Nelspruit Regional Court on Wednesday. The matter was postponed to 9 September.
This article first appeared on Lowvelder and was republished with permission.
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