A burgeoning land ownership dispute between the Bakgaga ba Ga-Maake and the Vatsonga vha Hosi Muhlava of the Bankuna group in Limpopo’s Mopani District is threatening to reignite the tribal conflict last witnessed in the province in the 1980s.
Sunday World can exclusively reveal that the Bankuna, under the chieftaincy of Muhlava and Bakgaga ba Ga-Maake, are embroiled in a dispute concerning the ownership of land recently designated residential near Lenyenye township.
The property stretches from Burgersdorp to a few kilometres from the verdant citrus farms of Ofcolaco, and the sale of stands therein is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of rands.
Ironically, the warring headmen are kin and share a surname, Mmola, and are of a Burgersdorp village governed by Hosi Muhlava. Each asserts the land rightfully belongs to their respective villagers and claims entitlement to sell the stands.
Sunday World understands that each has since expropriated the stands that residents have bought from the rival faction.
In an exclusive interview with Sunday World, Pule Mmola of Muhlava Tribal Authority, said he is selling the stands for R2 500 each. “R2 000 goes to the royal kraal, while the remainder funds the administrative work of my office,” he said.
He accused a purported Maake Tribal Authority representative, a Doras Mmola, of reselling the same stands at an exorbitant price. He said Maake Tribal Authority representatives were running an intimidation racket.
“We are now compelled to assert our rights,” he said, adding that a decision had been taken to demolish all structures his authority believed were built illegally on its land.
When Sunday World reached out to the Maake Tribal Authority on Thursday, the comment from that Mmola was simply: “My brother, I am occupied at the moment. Could you please call me tomorrow morning so that we can engage in a more comprehensive discussion?”
Follow-up phone calls have gone to voicemail since.
A woman, who wished to remain anonymous, fearing victimisation, disclosed that her dream of building her own home could be dashed.
“Somebody has cleared my stand,” she said.
“Neighbours tell me headman Mmola of Bakgaga Tribal Authority sold it to someone else. Now I’m scared I might be killed if I go there.
Another resident said there was fear that people who bought the land from one faction might be attacked and dispossessed of their land by the other.
“I think the Department of Human Settlements must intervene,” stated another resident.
The animosity between the Vhatsonga-speaking and the Bakgga ba Ga-Maake communities over boundaries claimed numerous lives in about 1983.
Homes, commercial establishments, and various governmental properties were torched.
In the mid-1990s, the second round of this battle erupted when a Lenyenye township woman crossed the boundary in search of the termites, popular delicacy. It is alleged a container of the delicacy she had already collected was upturned on her.
Purportedly, then chief minister of Lebowa, the late Nelson Noko Ramodike, dispatched a group of men to dismantle the fence separating the factions.
This was followed by general civil unrest and the displacement of a group of Mozambicans first to Giyani Stadium. This group later made Hluphekani, a Tsonga term that translates to “suffering”, a permanent home.
In the aftermath, Bakgaga appropriated more territory, which has since become known as Sharpeville, Kuwait, Lenyenye Extension and Pulaneng, among others.
The amalgamation of Gazankulu, Lebowa, and the Republic of Venda to constitute what is presently Limpopo following the 1994 general elections did little to foster unity.
In 2016, violence erupted when the government decided to incorporate the Venda-speaking populace of Vuwani into the newly established Collins Chabane Municipality, a Vha-Tsonga-speaking community.
