Home | News | TV’S FAMILY TO CONTINUE LIVING ON KING’S FARM?

TV’S FAMILY TO CONTINUE LIVING ON KING’S FARM?

08/07/2018 07:53:00 BY MFANUKHONA NKAMBULE

Font size:

MAFUTSENI – It is not yet clear how long Timothy Velabo Mtetwa’s family will continue residing on a 383-hectare land which belongs to Ingwenyama.

Mtetwa, the late former Zombodze Governor and acting Governor of Ludzidzini Royal Residence, was reportedly allowed by authorities to occupy the farm situated at Mafutseni.
He built a modern house on the farm and some of his children have also put up structures there. It is at this place where Mtetwa celebrated his 90th birthday a couple of years ago.
He died in October 2017.

King Sobhuza II bought the farm at E45 000 in 1977, according to documents seen by this newspaper. He bought it from Jan Harm Herbst.
Its current value could not be ascertained but an independent financial analyst said E45 000 was a lot of money at that time.

Impeccable sources said the fate of Mtetwa’s family was being discussed at the highest level because of its sensitivity.
Tibiyo TakaNgwane, an entity held by Ingwenyama in trust for emaSwati, is involved in the discussion, sources said.

AGRICULTURAL PROJECT

It has been established that there was a feeling from certain people within Tibiyo TakaNgwane, that the farm, in part or in whole, be utilised for an agricultural project.
However, sources told the Times SUNDAY that negotiators were careful of how the issue was deliberated upon since royalty did not want its longstanding relationship with the Mtsetfwa clan strained.
As a result, they wanted the matter to be settled amicably. There is a special cultural role, which the Mtsetfwa clan (boNyambose) play in the Kingship structure.

“At the end of the day, bakaNgwane (royalty) want all parties to be happy about any outcome of the negotiations,” a source revealed in an interview. The Times SUNDAY cannot reveal certain sensitivities of the matter. This is due to the fact that it is being handled at the highest level.

“I can safely say there’s no fighting between the parties. They are trying to resolve the issue culturally and legally,” the source added.
In his personal opinion, the source said he thought it would serve both parties to subdivide the farm; giving the family a reasonable portion of land to undertake any business within the farm while the larger part is rightly acceded to the rightful owner.

Another option is to sell a portion of the farm to the Mtetwas in terms of Section 4 (6) of the Farm Dwellers Act (amendment), which reads:
“where more than five (5) farm dwellers who have resided openly on that farm for more than five (5) years have a desire to purchase a farm from the farm owner, they shall have a right to make a written offer to purchase the portions upon which they reside or the whole farm, as the case may be and the farm owner has the duty to seriously consider the offer and respond thereto within thirty (30) days and provide cogent reasons for refusal to sell.”

The advantage of invoking the said section, according to one of the lawyers, is that costs for subdivisions and land transfers arising from the purchase of the farm or portion of it shall be borne by the government.
This is in terms of Section 4 (8) which reads: “Any costs for subdivisions and transfers arising from a purchase of a farm or portion or portions of a farm shall be paid out of the Fund.”
The newly-passed Farm Dwellers Act provides that government must set up a fund to be known as the Farm Dwellers Security of Tenure Fund.

It is stated in the Farm Dwellers Control Act that the Fund shall assist in the purchase of farms or portions of farms so as to give farm dwellers security of tenure and ensure that their status of being farm dwellers is eliminated.
Tibiyo TakaNgwane is in charge of all farms vested in Ingwenyama. It is in this respect that the Mtetwa family is logically expected to liaise with this entity over any probability.
No one wants to talk about this issue at Tibiyo TakaNgwane. The same applies to the family of TV Both his sons, Mashikilisane and Magonso said the matter was under control.