‘Chief’, sons who sell stands illegally, arrested for fraud
Three men, one who is said to be a chief, were arrested by the Hawks recently for illegally selling stands in Vuu in Vuwani.
LIMPOPO – The three men, aged between 30 and 57, a father and his two sons, appeared in the Vuwani Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 12 June and were granted bail. The father was granted R3000 bail and his sons R1000 each. Their case was postponed to 31 July for trial.
Hawks Spokesperson, Sampo Maaboyi, said investigations showed that the three were selling land at R3 500 a piece.
In 2014, one of the suspects and the Vuu community were at loggerheads with the Makhado Municipality about land, but after the demarcation, the area has resorted under the Collins Chabane Municipality. The Masia Tribal Council claimed that the land belonged to Thovhele Vho-Nthumeni Masia.
The Spokesperson of the Masia Royal Council, Chief Ndwakhulu Kharidzha, said the suspect had invaded the land illegally. “Those people who now live there have invaded this land and are now staying there illegally,” he said.
He confirmed that the suspect had come to the area and requested the Masia Royal Council to allocate him a stand in Lwamondo in 2001. “The man was given a stand and six relatives live there. Now he is claiming that he is the chief of the area.” We also called him to several meetings to address the issue, but he did not turn up. The Masia Traditional Council and our people have always been of the view that acts of criminality of this nature needed to be dealt with.
“We commend the action taken by the Hawks and hope that the matter will be logically concluded,” he said.
On 29 December 2015, a group of residents marched to the suspect’s house, setting it alight. Eight people, including the leader of the Pro-Makhado Task Team, Chief Wilson Mulaudzi, Chief Ndwakhulu Kharidzha and other community members, were arrested. All were found guilty of and given a five-year suspended sentence.
