Driefontein residents Busi Nkwanyana and Busi Mpanza have opened a case against KwaDukuza municipality (KDM) for demolishing their houses three weeks ago.
They claim to have bought the land from Thabo Madlala earlier this year and started building in July. They said ward councillor Mzwandile Mdluli never told them the land had already been bought by KDM. However Mdluli refuted this, saying he cautioned them against illegally occupying government land (“Residents caught in land battle”, Courier, September 6).
“The land was sold by Thabo’s father, Khaya, to KDM. When I discovered that building had started despite my warnings, I reported the matter to my superiors and they sent a demolition team,” said Mdluli.
Thabo claims he became a custodian of his father’s land when his father moved to Zululand in 2006. He said it had become his responsibility to sell the land and give the money to his father and this was not the first time he had done this.
He told the Courier he had been aware that KDM had approached his father with an intent to buy the land but said his father had not signed the sale agreement.
KDM media liaison officer Bonginkosi Nhaca said the municipality paid Khaya Penbeck Madlala of Driefontein an amount of R150 000 for Portion 60(6), (Farm Driefontein No.1127) three years ago. He said the land was earmarked for a housing project and layouts have gone through the planning and development processes.
Nkwanyana and Mpanza said they were currently seeking legal counsel on the matter because they do not know who is telling truth between the Mdladla’s and the municipality.
“We each spent over R10 000 on both the land and building material. Whoever is responsible for the position that we are in needs to reimburse us,” said Mpanza.
Attempts to get a comment from Khaya were unsuccessful.
