Land dispute threatens to revisit Tsonga-Pedi unrest

A burgeoning land ownership dispute between the Bakgaga ba Ga-Maake and the Vatsonga vha Hosi Muhlava of the Bankuna tribe in Limpopo’s Mopani District is threatening to reignite the tribal conflict last witnessed in the province in the 1980s.

- By Nakampe Lekwadu

Sunday World can exclusively reveal that the Bankuna, under the chieftaincy of Muhlava and Bakgaga ba Ga-Maake, are embroiled in a contentious 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 is expected to bring in hundreds of thousands of rands.

Ironically, the warring headmen are kin and share a surname, Mmola, and are from Burgersdorp village governed by Hosi Muhlava. Each asserts the land rightfully belongs to their respective masters and claims legitimate entitlement to sell the residential stands.

Sunday World understands that each has since expropriated stands that innocent residents bought from the rival faction.