Times Of Swaziland: THAT HOMESTEAD BELONGS TO ME, SAYS CJ

THAT HOMESTEAD BELONGS TO ME, SAYS CJ
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BY ANDILE NSIBANDE on 17/07/2017 08:36:00


MBANGWENI – In a bid to retain his grip on a homestead that has now become a
centre of controversy, Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala has dropped a bombshell; he
has reportedly claimed the residence also belongs to him.
The head of the judiciary is alleged to have told Mbangweni community leaders
that the homestead was handed over to him by Princess Ngebeti’s husband, the
late former Cabinet Minister Mhambi Mnisi, about 22 years ago. The claims by
Maphalala took the princess and her family by surprise on Saturday when minutes
of a meeting between the CJ and the inner council of Mbangweni Royal kraal were
read. Mbangweni Headman Peter Mamba confirmed that the inner council of
Mbangweni Royal Kraal met the CJ over the past week and requested him to give a
full disclosure of the circumstances surrounding his occupancy of the homestead
that is believed to have been built by princess Ngebeti’s Mnisi family in the
1960s.
Maphalala is alleged to have told the Mbangweni inner council at the meeting
that he personally settled the land deal with the late former cabinet minister
in 1995, following which he acquired full rights of ownership of the residence
through the traditional khonta system, by paying the customary beast at the
Mbangweni Royal Kraal in 1997.
The bombshell prompted the inner council to instruct the princess to bring along
Mnisi’s firstborn son, Makhosi (Chief of Mantjolo) in their next meeting
scheduled for Saturday, where the CJ is expected to square up with the royal
family member over the disputed homestead.
The instruction to feature Makhosi in the talks about the ownership of the
disputed homestead follows the persistence by the CJ, who allegedly told the
inner council that he would only be comfortable stating his side of the story in
the presence of the late Mnisi’s firstborn son.
However, it was not immediately clear why Mnisi’s name was being dragged into
the row. Efforts to get comment from Mnisi’s elder son were not successful
yesterday.
Though the matter is yet to be argued at the Mbangweni Royal Kraal, the princess
and her family have already rubbished the claims of ownership by the CJ.
Princess Ngebeti said the allegations were absurd because to her knowledge, the
CJ got to occupy the homestead after he personally approached her, seeking for a
place to accommodate one of his wives.
The senior royal family member asserted that she would fight for what rightfully
belongs to her. In fact, the emotional princess challenged the inner council to
call the CJ right away in order for the matter to be dealt with forthwith. She
told them she was also prepared to call her husband’s firstborn son, Makhosi,
as per the CJ’s wish.