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ABOUT 200 FAMILIES FACE EVICTION AT NKILONGO

23/08/2014 06:57:00 BY SISHO MAGAGULA

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BIG BEND – Close to 200 families under Nkilongo constituency in Big Bend face eviction.

The overcrowded informal settlement, known as Emangwaneni, is situated less than 500 metres from the Nkilongo Inkhundla building in Big Bend and has been a home to the almost 200 families for over 30 years.
Disgruntled residents have alleged that they have been ordered to vacate the area.

A majority of the residents are elderly women who are widows and have been living in the area since 1983 when the inkhundla building was constructed.
They have been unsettled by the chief’s alleged threats and have even reported the matter to the inkhundla committee, which is headed by MP Hans Steffen. In an interview, the residents said were disturbed by the order issued by Chief Mvimbi, particularly because they do not have any other place to go.

One of the residents who identified herself as Mrs Ndwandwe said Chief Mvimbi arrived in the area last month and spoke to her.
“He called me to his vehicle and we spoke through the window. He said I should tell all the people living here that they should vacate the area because he wanted to develop it into a business area. He said he wanted to sell the land to businesspeople who would develop it. He first asked me kutsi ngihleti ngebunjani lapha?” she claimed.

Ndwandwe said she relayed the message to the rest of the residents and some were shocked. Others said they were not shocked because this was not the first time they had heard such a message from the chief. Another resident, Idah Ntshangase, said they were disturbed by the threats. Ntshangase said she knew the history of the area very well because she was one of the first settlers who arrived there in 1983. She said the land was given to the inkhundla by Ubombo Sugar and they, as residents who were already there back then, were allowed to continue staying there while taking care of labourers who were constructing the inkhundla building.

She said that was how the area became known as Emangwane. She said they, as settlers, were not under any specific chief even though neighbouring chiefs such as Chief Mshikashika of KaNgcamphalala frequently play an oversight role over the area.