A STRATEGICALLY located piece of land in Camperdown along the N3 is at the centre of a dispute involving the supposed rightful owners, a Department of Justice official and alleged thieves who are selling the land.
Several beneficiaries, who had been handed the land in restitution, have spoken about watching helplessly as individuals with no ties to the land have been selling parts of it. And while government departments have been told about it, the trustees claim that nothing has been done.
“We have been hoping that there would be some form of intervention from the government on the matter, but so far nothing has happened, which is quite sad,” said a beneficiary of the land who did not want to be named.
Owing to its location, the land had been earmarked for several development projects including an agri-processing plant and an airport, with overseas investors lining up for what was expected to benefit many. Mkhambathini Mayor Nhlakanipho Ntombela confirmed knowledge of the dispute over the land but would not make further comments.
It has now been alleged that a Master of the High Court official in Pietermaritzburg has been central to the sale of land.
According to the source, the official has apparently issued letters of authority to a group of new claimants enabling them to sell the land as they liked, a move that prompted the original beneficiaries to open a case with the Loop Street police station in Pietermaritzburg over the development.
When approached for comment, however, the Department of Justice said while allegations had been made against its official, there was no evidence of wrongdoing.
Department spokesperson Kgalalelo Masibi said that the KZN Master’s Office had investigated the matter and found no evidence of wrongdoing that warranted any action against any departmental official.
“After a thorough process involving submissions and consultations with the trustees, the department is confident that the decisions and actions taken to resolve this issue are lawful, based on the documents presented,” Masibi said.
According to the beneficiaries, the individuals who were selling land were feared and had been known to walk around the neighbourhood brandishing assault rifles.
“Criminals are running the show. Tustees don’t have enough money to defend all this nonsense as they have other matters in court already defending the trust land. I can go on and on but the state is failing the poor who were handed the land (in restitution) as from 2008 but have not yet benefited,” said the beneficiary.
The land in question is one of the most sought after, owing to its location along the N3.
With space in Durban and around Hammarsdale running out, many are eyeing land in the area for either residential or business purposes and it has been suggested that this was one of the reasons that unscrupulous sellers had identified the area to make a profit.