CAMPING MALINDZA RESIDENTS FINALLY PAID

MBABANE – After spending six nights camping at Sokhamlilo Building, the adamant Malindza residents have been finally paid compensation for their damaged houses.

By yesterday afternoon, the residents were expressing appreciation to government for eventually paying them. Though it could not be established how much was paid to the residents in total, they confirmed that they had been paid what they were expecting and accepted it. They noted that the money varied as it was calculated based on the extent of damages each resident suffered.  The residents started camping at Sokhamlilo Building, which is where Millennium Projects offices are housed, last week.

Millennium Projects was responsible for the construction of the King Mswati III International Airport, which led to homesteads close to the construction site incurring structural defects. The residents have been camping there since last Thursday, exposing themselves to the cold weather, while demanding their compensation. They highlighted that in 2021, they were paid about 57 per cent of their compensation and they were demanding the remaining 43 per cent.

Defied

On Monday, Malindza Indvuna Sipho Dlamini came to ask the residents to return home, but they defied him. Dlamini said he had been sent by Malindza Chief, Ndlondlo Tsabedze, to fetch them in order to settle the matter at community level. The residents insisted that they were not going anywhere and hung on until the money was deposited into their accounts. It is worth noting that others continued to spend the night outside Sokhamlilo Building yesterday because the money had not reflected in their bank accounts by end of the day. It could not be ascertained if the delays were a result of the speed at which their personal banks were processing the credit. Those whose bank accounts had proof of credit left yesterday and the rest were set to leave today. The residents have been fighting for their compensation for over a decade now, such that in 2021, they even camped at the quarry mine situated near the area.

They camped at the quarry mine operated by Inyatsi Construction, as they were told that this was the company supposed to compensate them.
According to a consultancy report, which was tabled and adopted in Parliament in 2021, Inyatsi Construction was supposed to compensate the affected families with E46 million for the houses which developed cracks due to the quarry blasting works by the construction company.
The residents had been highlighting that even the first payout they received after having spent nights at the quarry mine.

One of the residents, Gcwetha Magagula, appreciated that finally they got what was due to them. He said indeed to them it was not about fighting the government or anyone for that matter, but their intentions were pure and none other than demanding their compensation for the damaged houses. He said they would now go back to their homes and continue with their normal lives. He also appreciated his fellow community members for their unity in the fight for the release of the money.

Appreciated

Gcwetha also appreciated members of the public who had been assisting them in terms of supplying them with food and blankets. He also appreciated the media for following up on their plight until the end, as they, at some point, had doubts that they would get the money. However, because the media kept on informing the world about their situation, they got the attention they deserved. Dvokodvweni Member of Parliament (MP) Mduduzi Magagula said he had been made aware that the residents had been paid. The MP said he was grateful that the government kept its promise. He said he was, however, not happy that the residents risked their lives and spent nights in the open space, exposing themselves to the cold.

MP Mduduzi said he had been insisting that they would be paid in two weeks’ time, but unfortunately they could not be patient. He insisted that the E25 million set aside for the compensation of the residents had been paid and the delays were caused by the processes in the government system.  
He said he had been urging the residents to have confidence in the government and in him as their MP as well. The MP is also the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee of the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development. Efforts to get a comment from the government proved futile as the Minister of Economic Planning and Development, Dr Tambo Gina, could not answer his phone. Attempts to reach the Minister of Finance, Neal Rijkenberg, were also unsuccessful as he had not responded to questions sent to him by the time of compiling this report.  

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