Vuyelwa Sibindi, Sunday News Reporter
A LAND row has erupted at Ward 13 in Tsholotsho South, Matabeleland North province after a farmer was allocated a piece of land in an area reserved as “communal land”.
According to Mr Mtshiso Ngwenya, a member of the Development Committee of the area, villagers are up in arms against a man who was allocated a plot within the communal land, identified as Mr Owen Sibanda. Mr Ngwenya said villagers did not understand how Mr Sibanda got the piece of land since it was reserved for the community for animal grazing, among other things.
“People were shocked to see workers employed by Owen Sibanda working on a pegged piece of land sometime in April. We hear he bought the piece of land but from who and on what arrangement we don’t know because the area concerned should not be allocated to anyone. It belongs to the community where cattle go there for grazing and so forth. We have engaged the councillor, village head and headman and they have all distanced themselves from the issue,” said Mr Ngwenya.
Sources claimed there was a forged document indicating that villagers had agreed that the land be sold to an individual.
“Members of the Development Committee approached the village head who claimed it was forgery as he had not signed any letter. A meeting was held on 26 May with the District office and other Government departments and it was resolved that (Mr) Sibanda should move, but nothing has happened to date and a demonstration was organised last week but it was called off by the Development Committee which feared villagers might take the law into their hands,” a source said.
The Member of Parliament for the area, Tsholotsho South legislator Cde Zenzo Sibanda, said he was aware of the issue and was engaging all stakeholders to find a solution.
“I am going to meet everyone concerned so that we solve the issue but I think the only way forward will be for Mr Sibanda to be given another piece of land as a plot cannot be pegged within A communal land,” he said.
Efforts to get a comment from the district administrator and the concerned farmer were not successful.