Land dispute threatens future of private game reserve
A lion has reportedly escaped from Mkuze Falls Private Game Reserve, which is at the heart of what has become an ugly land dispute
A LAND dispute over a community-owned game reserve in northern KZN led to the escape of one of the reserve’s lions last month, when part of the fence was vandalised.
After a successful land claim of the Mkuze Falls Private Game Reserve near Pongola, the Ntunzana Communal Property Trust was formed in 2009. However, the trust did not operate as King Goodwill Zwelethini lodged an appeal, claiming the land was his.
Despite this, last year an agreement was reached between Ntunzana trustees and the Minister of Land Affairs and Rural Development and the title in land was transferred to the trust for the benefit of 482 households.
According to Ntunzana Community Trust Trustee Themba Timothy Xulu, ‘out of nowhere’ five members of a group calling themselves the ‘Concerned Group’ emerged and demanded to be members of the Ntunzana Trust.
An investigation by the Regional Land Claims Commission, however, revealed they were not trust members and had no claim to the land.
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Xulu said he received a telephone call from Mkuze Falls Reserve Manager on 15 November saying the group had vandalised the fence, which led to the escape of a lion.
The Reserve Manager on Monday declined to comment on the incident or its associated land dispute.
Late last week the Pietermaritzburg High Court granted Ntunzana Trust an interim interdict stopping the five members of the Concerned Group from tampering with or damaging the reserve’s fences.
The interim interdict also restrains the individuals, who threatened to destroy the reserve, from inciting violence or harrassing members of Ntunzana Trust, which derives an income from Mkuze Falls Game Reserve.
The Concerned Group has until early February to respond to the trust’s allegations.
Mkuze Falls Private Game Reserve is not to be confused with Mkhuze Game Reserve, which falls within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and is run by the two state conservation authorities, iSimangaliso and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.
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