Johannesburg – The construction of the R200-million shopping complex in Marite, Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga, is still on hold as one of the families on the construction site continues to refuse to remove their graves.
The problem started about nine years ago when the authorities approved the construction of the shopping centre.
Since then, the Manzini family has been refusing to relocate their graves while other families agreed to do so. Authorities have tried every trick in the book to compel the family to cooperate but to no avail.
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“Recently, a meeting was held between the officials of Rural Development and Land Reform and the town developer to deal with the matter but the family told them that their position will never change,” said chief Lameck Mokoena of the Mathibela Tribal Authority.
“The community wanted to exhume the graves but I stopped them because our culture does not allow us to disrespect the dead. I am not sure if I will be able to control the anger of my community about this problem,” said Mokoena.
He said he was worried about the delay of the development because the shopping centre would create more than 1 500 jobs for young people of Bushbuckridge. When contacted for comment, town developer and businesswoman Nora Fakude said she was ready to start the construction of the shopping centre.
“But I have no powers to tell the family to remove the graves. I will wait until the local chief and the relevant authorities find a way to deal with the matter.”
The Manzini family was not immediately available for comment but in a previous interview with this journalist, the family’s spokesperson, Sipho Manzini, confirmed that they would not relocate the graves.
He further intimidated the journalist and warned him not to write about his family. “Don’t let them use you to fight their battles,” he said. Reggie Ngcobo, the spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform, said the provincial shared service centre in Mpumalanga had dealt with the application and obtained approval from the minister for a long-term lease of 30 years, with an option to renew it for a further 20 years, for the construction of the shopping centre. He said that approval was obtained from the minister on October 30 2015.
“The land rights of the Manzini family are protected in terms of the Interim Protection of Informal Land Rights Act, 1996 (Act 31 of 1996), therefore they cannot be forced to move but have to agree to relocation, including the graves ,” he said.
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