By Celani Sikhakhane
The Mfekayi clan in uMkhanyakude has accused the iSimangaliso Wetland Park of stealing their land, which they claim to have received in 1996.
Through its Westernshores Community Trust, the clan sent a letter of demand to iSimangaliso on Monday, telling it that it fraudulently claimed its 26,700 hectares and should pay it R150-million if the rent was R500,000 a month from 1999.
Phumlani Mfeka of the Injenje yabeNgoni civil rights organisation, who spoke on behalf of the clan, said that in 1939, the government made an agreement with the Mfekayi clan that the park would fence only two kilometres of their land, but that the park had since taken most of the land along the N2.
“They are also projecting the Tembe clan as the original owners of that land, which is wrong because the Tembes are the arrivalists and … the Mfekayi clan … are the ones whose land was stolen […]. iSimangaliso has also blocked the Mfekayis from visiting the graves of our forefathers.
“When we want to perform our rituals, they charge us money like tourists which has disturbed us a lot. Our ancestors are fenced with wild animals that are doing as they please on their graves. This has angered their spirit, which has affected the Mfekayis so badly,” said Mfeka.
He said if they don’t receive a satisfactory response to their letter, they will take legal action to block all business activities in iSimangaliso and organise a mass protest.
Part of the park’s land is owned by the Ingonyama Trust, and part by the state.
It is the main driver of the economy in the poor KZN region, with international and local tourists visiting the park and supporting the businesses, hotels and lodges in St Lucia.
iSimangaliso Wetland Park spokesperson Bheki Manzini rejected the claim that the park recognises the Tembe clan as the owners of the land the Mfekayi clan claims is theirs.
“The allegations are void of truth,” Manzini said. “There are 12 traditional councils within iSimangaliso, namely: Sokhulu, Mpukunyoni, Makhasa, Emdletsheni, Nibela, Mnqobokazi, Jobe, Nsinde, Ngwenya, Mabaso, Mbila, and Tembe. iSimangaliso Wetland Park is situated within two district municipalities (uMkhanyakude and King Cetshwayo) and five local municipalities (Umfolozi, Mtubatuba, Big 5 Hlabisa, Jozini and Umhlabuyalingana).”
He emphasised that the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) is a custodian of the information regarding the legal recognition of various traditional authorities and their jurisdiction.
He said iSimangaliso works according to traditional councils, not clans.
“There are 14 land claims in iSimangaliso Wetland Park; nine of them are settled with five co-management agreements, and four are still outstanding. The Regional Land Claims Commission is in the process of finalising the remaining claims.
“The claims were settled subject to land restoration without physical occupation and that the claimed land shall remain a conservation area in perpetuity in terms of the prevailing conservation legislation,” he said.
Manzini said trusts (not clans) that have signed co-management agreements with iSimangaliso receive 8% of the park’s revenue.
He added that iSimangaliso Wetland Park has a stakeholder engagement unit which regularly meets with various stakeholders and attends meetings of the 12 traditional tribal councils.
Pictured above: The Mfekayi clan threatened legal action to stop the business activities at iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
Source: X
